The Birth of Legacy
by pottermommy1118
Summary: This is the second and final installment for real this time of the legacy series. I strongly suggest you read Lily and James: The Beginning of Legacy first or you will be lost. Rated Because if you read the first well you know why.
1. Chapter 1: Title Page and sequel warning

**The Birth of Legacy**

**The second and final installment (for real this time) of**

**Lily and James Legacy series.**

**If you are reading this, make sure you have read the original.**

**James and Lily: The Beginning of Legacy.**

**Or else you are going to be major confused by this story and the characters.**

**I know that it is a long read but I promise, you won't understand this if you don't read it first!**

**Oh and I love Reviews so please, review it even if it isn't good!**

**Well I hope you enjoy and Away we Go!**


	2. Chapter 2: Detatched

**Are you ready?**

**Here we go again!**

**Oh and can I say that I was truely excited over having reviews and alerts and favorites before the story was started.**

**So I did want to tell you that a lot of the first year will be skimmed over, I mean it was kinda silly to rewrite a lot that had alredy been written.**

**As always, I do not own Harry Potter but if JK wants to share, I accept.**

Chapter One:

Detatched

_**March**_

_**POV: LILY**_

Lily threw herself into a chair in the staff room at the hospital. She had never ever been more tired. She had never been more stressed. The last six months had been a whirlwind for her and James. It was as if time decide to hit fast forward and go go go. The war had escalated so quickly it was alarming. Tonight there had been an explosion outside of the ministry and they had recieved a ton of patients.

Lily was supposed to be in training she wasn't a fully qualified healer not even close. But that didn't matter she still found herself holding a witch barely older than herself, knowing there was nothing she could do. The memories flooded into her overwhelmed mind, and she let them, after all she sitll hadn't heard from the boys, she had no clue if they were safe, thinking about someone elses life was easier than worrying about her own.

OoOoO

She was leaning against the window of the room in the emergency unit when young very pregnant woman was floated through the doors and came to rest on the table in front of her. She was screaming a covered in blood. Lily was assuming her hair used to be blonde because it was ruby, sickeningly, blood red now. Her screams peirced Lily's ears like a knife.

"the baby, is the baby ok!" she cried desperately.

"Lily, I need you to get a delivery kit from the maternity ward and get back stat. This baby has to be delivered, we can still save it, but if it isn't delivered before we lose her then it will be too late.. You need to hurry, now!" he said urgently and she took off at a run.

Luckily she had already done maternity rounds and knew where everything was so she got back to the room fast. Unfortunately all the medi assistants and other healers were overwhelmed with the disaster and she was expected to help healer Bronslyn.

She held the yound woman's hand and coaxed her through pushing, she tried to hold back her tears at the woman's screams.

"What's your name? Tell me your name." she urges the patient between pushes.

"Cora, I am Cora, please you have to help the baby." she cried.

Lily nodded frantically.

"Cora we are I swear to you we are but I need you to take the biggest breath you can, on three ok and then push, hard, it is the only thing going to save your little one ok. And one..breathe...two...breathe...THREE PUSH CORA." Lily screamed over the noise in the hall.

Cora screamed, the healer screamed, the baby screamed.

With the sound of the new little cries Lily and Cora fell silent. They had done it, the baby was here.

"It is a little girl." Bronslyn said handing the bloody, blanket wrapped bundle to Lily, she laid her in her mother's arms and helped her support her weight.

She was small, but she was screaming her head off, which meant she was breathing well.

"Cora can you tell me how early she is?" Lily asked the girl smiling sadly at her as she watched the color fade from her cheeks.

"five weeks, five weeks early. Hope, that's her name. Hope." she said weakly, gasping for her breath.

Lily knew there really was nothing she could do. The yound woman had lost far to much blood and pushed far too hard to save her child. But she knew that if given the choice, any mother would die to save her child. Any mother would do it, it is what made you a mother.

"Hope is a beautiful name, for a beautiful baby." Lily wispered gripping the bundle as she felt the young mother's arms go week.

"My love. Hope." she finished the baby's name with a very quiet p and though her eyes were staring at the quieting baby, she saw no more.

oOoOoO

Sitting in the room hours later Lily thought of the baby who was just them meeting its father. Who luckily did not work for the ministry like his wife but had missed saying saying hello to his baby as she entered the world and saying boodbye to his wife as she left.

Lily tried to control her tears but it was hard to do. She knew healers had to detatch themselves, but it was something she wasn't good at, she wasn't good at it at all.

She was so worried about James, he hadn't flooed she had no idea if he was ok, she hadn't heard from him since early that morning. And he was at the ministry. What if he wasn't ok. How could you be detached if your whole world was in danger?


	3. Chapter 3: Meanwhile, elsewhere

**I do not own HP**

**This is short but it is important.**

Chapter 2:

Meanwhile, elsewhere,

All Sirius could see was the blood pouring down his face. He was pretty sure that his nose was broken and positive that the ribs on his right side were crushed. All he could feel was pain. But he couldn't let that stop him. James was in trouble, James was in pain, James was screaming, James was dying.

"We gave you a chance, and yet you still defy us...Still you refuse...We do not give second chances, we do not allow refusal. You will serve, you can not stop it, you can not! IMPERIO!" shrieked the hooded man.

Sirius wiped his eyes and watched as James' face went blank, he watched as he was forced to walk over to him. The blank face of his best friend stared down into his eyes.

James' entire cheek had been crushed in, he had blood trickling from his ears and the corners of his eyes. His lip was busted open and he was coughing up spurts of blood.

"Kill the blood traitor! Kill him in the name of the Dark Lord!" The man joined the laughter of the other death eaters surrounding them.

"Jamie." Sirius managed to choke out.

He saw the look of understanding pass through the familiar hazel eyes. His brother's eyes. His only family's eyes. The only eyes that truely knew him. He saw them flash with recognition and fade with the curse.

He breathed a sigh of relief as James' knees buckled and he fell to the floor by his side. Throwing his arm over him he began to cry, though it looked like a river of blood.

"Jamie, I will save us, I will." he said fervently as James was ripped out of his arms yet again.

He felt a hundred knives pierce his skin as the cruciatus curse was implemented again. Even through the haze of pain induced dementia he could hear James' blood soaked screams. They were going to die here. And he knew it. He couldn't stop it, his best friend was being tortured and beaten and he wasn't strong enough to stop it. Then he heard something that made his heart stop, James had quit screaming, he quit coughing, he barely heard him gasp for his last breath.

Then with a rage that he had never felt before Sirius exploded with all the power that was left in him. He watched as seemingly in slow motion the hooded figures around him were blasted off their feet. His magic poured unshielded out of him. Without meaning to or trying every man he touched was flung backwards or dropped to their knees. It took very few moments to reach James. He was so bloodsoaked even his hair laid flat against his head.

He threw his arms around him, ignored the stabbing pain in his chest from his protesting ribs and apparated on the spot.

He felt his knees buckle as the suffocating blackness eased away. He felt the weight of his best mate become too much, he flet them both fall to the ground. He heard the screams echo around them, he heard the shouts for help. He felt a pair of soft hands wipe the blood and matted hair from his face. The last thing he heard was the one voice he wished he didn't. He hadn't wanted her to see them like this.

"Help! Help! Siri! Jamie! You have to help me that's my brother, that's my husband help, please don't let them die!" Lily screamed before he blacked out.


	4. Chapter 4: Strike 2

**I do not own HP**

**And since someone asked, the baby is great**

**and we found out on monday **

**ITS A BOY!**

**Really excited, it is our first little boy and we can't wait**

**This goes with chap 1 & chap 2 and is one of the very few chapters that will piggyback off each other.**

Chapter 3:

Strike two

The sunlight was streaming through the window of the private ward. The inside the walls were pale green and had yellow decorations. Lily wondered if the decoraters had thought the colors would make you feel peaceful. They were wrong, you couldn't feel peaceful when your entire world hung in the balance. She was sitting between two single size beds, she couldn't bear to look at them any longer.

She stood up and walked to the end of the room when she reached the door she realised that not even her own death could force her from this place, nothing could allow her to be seperated from them now. She leaned against the wall and slid down it. Unable to control her fear and desperation she once again relived the horrible moment when she found her boys.

The moment she wiped the blood from his face and saw who it was her whole world crashed down around her. If there was one person she loved nearly as much as James, it was Sirius, and there was no one but her husband that Sirius Black would be clinging to as if his life depended on it.

The image of his face still haunted her every moment, whether waking or sleeping.

Sirius had looked a mess. His nose had been broken in two places, his forhead had been beaten open. He was so covered in blood that at first he really wasn't recognisable. His hair hung in matted stands, sticking to the sides of his face. Nothing like the usual thick, sleek, waves. She had been training for months and it was as if all her knowledge had fled her in that moment. She could hear him gasping for breath and could see the blood in his mouth, from what she would later find out was a punctured lung, due to multiple rib breaks. His arm was broken below the elbow and his muscles in his back had completely torn from each other due to over use of the Crucio curse. She couldn't imagine how he had managed to apparate here, let alone bring James with him.

James, she had almost lost him. In fact for a moment she was pretty sure she did lose him. It was only due to healer Bronslyn's speed and quick reactions that he was able to recover her husband.

Initially he, Bronslyn, had found her in the staff room to tell her about baby Hope. He asked her to come down to the emergency ward with him to let the father confirm his wife's body. He had asked specifically for her, since Cora had spoken her last words to Lily. She had just left the ward when she heard the screams and cries from the families and patients in the waiting area. It was just her luck to be the one to find them like that.

Sirius had been very critical, he needed urgent help, another 10 to 20 minutes and he would have died. But James, he was already dying. His heart had stopped, he wasn't breathing. He lay in Sirius' arms and wasn't recognisable at all. But she knew, Sirius wouldn't have made it if it hadn't meant saving James, she saw his ring on his finger. She remembered what his hair looked like slicked back in blood. Snape had been responsible for giving her that particular memory.

His face had colapsed from being beaten in, the entire left cheek bone, eye socket, and jaw line was crushed. The whites of his eyes were red with broken blood vessels and blood ooozed from his tear ducts as if his very tears were blood. Blood dripped from his nose and drizzled in streams from his ears. His neck and mouth were red and gory where he had vomitted and coughed up blood from the inside.

She laid her cheek against his chest and couldn't hear any breaths or heartbeats, when she lifted her head, her face was smeared with his blood. Once the healers had gotten to them and ripped the robes from the both of them she saw large purple bruises covering most of his torso. The part that wasn't purple had been torn open by a curse. Sirius' entire chest was black purple and blue and the deeper gasps he took the more purple it became.

Lily stood and watched helplessly as her world was rushed into two different rooms. They were fittingly side by side.

She hadn't worked or trained since that moment. Spending all of her time with them. Sirius looked worse for wear. His eyes were bruised and his nose still slightly swollen, his ribs, though healed, were taped to avoid movement, afterall even after healing, his lungs were still delicate from the punctures. He was laying shirtless, for better access to his injuries, and he had bruises everywhere. But he was breathing normally now, and she was hoping he would wake up soon.

She knew that he would be pissed about the bruises but after so much healing his body needed rest and cosmetic healing to get rid of bruising would only do more harm than good, as it would just wear his system out more.

James still looked terrible, he was still barely recognisable. When Remmy had came in he actually didn't know who it was, he had asked her where they were keeping James, it hadn't been until she told him that he realised the man in the very next bed was infact James.

His face was nearly black with bruises, his lips were still blue, both from being busted open and lack of oxygyn. His eyes were swollen and puffy, and his shirtless chest was still wrapped, mummy like, in bandages. The only feature that was instantly discernable was his hair, after being washed out it went once again to its usual messy self.

She was sitting on the cold hard floor, her face burried in her hands when she felt two strong hands on her arms. She looked up into Remus' eyes.

"Lily, come on, Vin and I got you food, you haven't eaten in at least a day and it is showing, you need to be strong when they wake up. DO you want Jamie to ask for his wife and us to tell him that they had to admit you for starvation? Come on, you have to eat." he said gently but sternly as he helped her to her feet.

She knew she had to look a fright. She would still be wearing her bloodied clothes from the day of the incident if the nurses hadn't brought her clean scrubs after the guys were moved to this ward. Her hair was in a messy bun and hadn't been properly washed in days, though Vinniah had used a cleanliness charm on it that morning.

Vinniah didn't look much better, but seemed to be holding it together better than Lily was at least. She had been here the entire time too but at least she did leave the room for moments at a time to eat and stretch. Lily couldn't bear to leave, what if they woke up and no one was there? She picked up the sandwich Remus had given her and began to take small bites to please him, well at least to get him to shut up. About a fourth of the way through she realised how hungry she was and ate the rest rather quickly, and immediately started on the salad in the to go bowl, she was handed as she took her last bite.

About an hour after eating a small sound shook Lily from her food induced nap. Hers, Vinniah's, and Remus' eyes all shot to Sirius as he breathed in a deep breath and groaned.

"J-J-J-Ja-Jamie." he mumbled. Vinniah and Lily ran to one side while Remus stood between his two friends beds.

"Siri, look at me mate, open your eyes." Remus said softly as Sirius turned his face to the voice of one of his best friends.

It took a moment for him to wake all the way up, and when he did seem to see the face in front of him, his eyes filled with tears. He blinked a painful blink.

"Ow, my...my everything hurts." he said in a slurred voice.

"Yeah mate, they got you good." Remus replied.

"Rem, they...they..I think they killed him...Lily...Lily is gonna kill me.." he mumbled through his tears.

The others couldn't help but smile.

"Pads." Lily said from his other side, regretting it when she saw him wince when he turned his head.

"Lil, I..sorry...he...they...screams...tried...cruicio...I tried...no more...screams...I tried.." he gasped as his tears fell in ernest.

She couldn't stop the tears from falling from her own eyes.

"Sirius he is ok, you saved him. We don't know how in the fuck you did it but you did. You saved James, look he is right beside me." Remus said, gently turning Sirius' head to face the bed next to him.

"Not dead...he..he's ok, he's...he's not dead?" his voice trembled.

"No, he very nearly was, so were you for that matter, you both should be, but you saved him, you saved yourself, though like I said we have no clue how you did it." his friend replied.

"Vin." Sirius said quietly.

He turned his face at the feel of her fingers on his cheek. Her tear drops stained his pillow case as his eyes met hers.

"Love you Vin...I'm stupid...so stupid...Marry me." he said as she leaned down to kiss him.

"Yes you are so stupid, but I love you anyways and if you remember asking me that when you get out of here yes I will marry you." she replied with a smirk.

Lily and Remus moved to the other side of James' bed to give the other two privacy. She stared at her husband's battered face, she revelled in every little breath he took, they were so much stronger than they had been. He was being kept sedated because the healers were sure the pain would still be too severe to expect him to handle it. She was glad that Sirius was awake, for one it meant that he was ok, he was going to be alright, but it also meant that James would hopefully wake up soon too. But she was also jealous that Vinniah was kissing his cheeks softly and he was telling her how much he loved her. She wanted nothing more than to hear James' voice.

oOoOoOoOoO

A week later Lily was sitting on the foot of Sirius' bed. He was looking much better infact the healers were hoping he could go home in a day or so. They were playing chess and Lily was losing magnificently. Every few minutes she noticed that Sirius' eyes would dart over to James, she was certain that hers were doing the same.

He had still not woken up. Just this morning the healer had taken the sedation spell off of him but he had only whimpered and moaned since then. There was no other change.

"So, now that you are alright. Are you going to tell me what happened?" Lily said as she moved her pawn into place.

Sirius shook his head.

"Prongs would be pissed if I scared you like that Lils."

"oh because sitting here wondering if he is ever going to wake up is so much more comforting. Sirius it is my life too, he is my life, Remus is my life, you are my life. I think I have a right to know. Look what I do know is that there was a massive explosion at the ministry, aimed at killing the minister. I know he survived, I know that many people did not, I know that it was death eaters and the Voldemort was not spotted in person. What I don't know is how you two came to be tortured and attacked, how were you singled out of everyone else?"

He looked over at James with a sad look on his face, and then stared down at his hands.

"It was chaos utter and total chaos. Lily there were flames everywhere. I don't think they were targeting the minister to be honest, I think they were trying to make a point, that they are here and they are going to take over. We were in the main level of the ministry doing details on flooing in an emergency situation. We were using the floo hall for training. We were told it had been closed that afternoon specifically for our use. We had been doing drills for an hour or so when Gid flew back through his fire and hit the wall behind him.

I have never seen anything like it, it was like he had been blasted out, from inside the floo network. And at that point deatheaters started pouring out of the fire behind him. James was standing behind me, he had his hand on my robes. I can almost still feel it there, gripping ahold, I don't know if he was scared or trying to hold me back... It wasn't seconds and black robes started to pop out of the fireplaces along the walls. There were so many more of them than us. And then the entire world exploded and rocked under our feet. People were falling debris was flying.

We have been training for months to face a situation like this Lil, so we did what we knew we had to do. We started to fight. We fought hard and it felt like the minutes dragged on. We couldn't stop them from getting past us they were killing people as they saw them, it didn't matter who they were. I have never, never seen curses fly like that.

I don't think they had a target, they were just there to cause chaos, to teach a lesson. They didn't realise who we were at first. But then Moody...He had been supervising our training and Jamie and I were both very near the lifts trying to keep them from overtaking them. He shouted. 'Potter, Black get to the Auror headquarters, get backup' well apparently our names are well known after our refusal to turn ourselves over to Voldemort. We ran into the lift but six deatheaters jumped in with us.

Do you remember the one that was talking the day in Hogsmede. He was there, he stunned James instantly and used crucio on me. Once we were subdued they drug us into a cooridor or a room. I don't know, but it seemed to go on for hours. We could hear the screams and the explosions outside, but apparently this particualar group had been punished for not bringing us in originally, if he punishes them worse than they punsished us then I can not imagine what they went through.

I have never in my life felt that kind of pain, ever, I don't know what was worse, feeling them do it to me or watching them do it to James. Every time one of us screamed the other fought harder to help but it didn't matter. They knew it was harder for us to watch each other hurt. I don't know how they knew, but they did. It was like they knew we are like brothers, every fear every weekness they knew, like they had grown up with us or something.

They impiriused James to kill me, I don't know how he fought it but he did, he wouldn't do it. And he paid for it. After he fought so hard I couldn't let him die, I couldn't let myself die without trying to save him. I am so sorry Lily. I don't know what we will do if they catch us off guard again, I mean we have escaped Voldemort's grasp twice now, how many more times can we be that lucky?"

Lily watched as his tears fell silently down his face, she didn't have any words of comfort for him, she saw the splatter marks on the chess board from her own tears, she really couldn't think of anything to say to make him understand how amazing she thought it was that he saved his best friend, so she sat silent and held his rough hand.

"You prat, I can't believe she talked you into telling her. If I could move I would beat your arse."

Lily and Sirius about fell off the bed turning toward James.

He was looking at them both with a smirk and a slight grimace on his face.

"Merlin Jamie, I thought..I thought..." Sirius tried but couldn't choke it out.

Lily jumped up and rushed over to his side.

"James, James you...Are you ok? Are you alright...We have to get the healer." she said frantically as she planted kisses over his still bruised and battered face.

"And when I get you home I am going to kill you both for putting me through this." she cried as he gingerly lifted his arm and put it around her back.


	5. Chapter 5: Good News From Good Friends

**I do not own HP**

**So I just realized that my chapters and my numbers don't match. I guess due to the title page so people knew where to find it. **

**So I am going to fix that in this chapter but I can't go back and fix the others b/c I already erased the hard copy from the program : /**

**Sorry for any confusion with the numbers.**

**And if I have added this up in my head correctly I hve the timeline for this right. If not, well we are going to pretend it is right : )**

Chapter 5

Good news from good friends.

Walking up the little lane towards the modern house James watched the leaves fall from the trees around him. It was hard to believe it was already the beginnig of November. Fall was already on its way out and the chill in the air told everyone that winter was very fast approaching.

He and Lily had already celebrated their first wedding anniversary and had a blast with Sirius and Vinniah for Halloween. He missed seeing them everyday. While he still saw Pads at work he misssed living with his best mate.

The pair had decided to get a flat of their own in Diagon Alley shortly after they had made the engagement official. Meaning that after Sirius was released from the hospital and was in full control of his emotional outbursts, Vinniah had made him re-prpose with a ring and on bended knee and all. James was happy to say that his eventually to-be sister-in-law (they were planning on getting married in a few years) was proudly wearing the anniversay ring that his father had given to his mother.

In any case the couple had been into their own place since late August and they seemed to be doing great. Remus was not home often at all going between working undercover for the order and staying at Rileigh's flat in London. He was there once every couple of weeks or so, but James missed having his friends be around all the time.

Though all the alone time with his wife did allow for some fun and comprimising sitiuations, to which she never would have agreed if there was a chance that anyone else was in the house. There was nothing to complain about when it came to him and Lily. She was everything he had ever imagined her to be. She was everybit of his soul mate and she was his favorite person to be with. He wouldn't change anything about their life for anything in the world. They were blissfully happy. Well as blissful as the argumenative James and Lily ever could be. Their tiffs were short and often times for fun. But they truely loved each other.

He was happy to say that after a very stressful several months Lily had finally settled down at the hospital. She had decided that being a healer was not for her, not that she didn't have the talent but she didn't have the ability to seperate her emotions from the patients. She decided that she still wanted to heal so she was now working as a medi-witch in the long term patient care wards. She found it much easier to be allowed to get to know her patients and be able to connect with them and their family. She was doing great and loved the new atmosphere.

As for the Auror class, they had just graduated their accelerated training program last month and were all officially aurors. They finished the normally three year program in 1 1/2 years and were very proud of their selves, thank you very much. Even if it did mean they had faced Voldemort's goons three times now. He shook the thought of the last time off, not wanting to think about it right now. Though that night with Lily had certainly been something to think about...

He was startled as he reached the red door in front of him and knocked. He was running a few minutes late and knew Lily was already here. He smiled at Frank as the door was opened in front of him.

"James, glad you made it, I thought you were leaving right after us?" Frank said clapping him on the back as he walked through.

"Yeah, I was going to, but Pete stopped in and I started talking to him and got caught up, if Lily asked we are saying I got held up with paperwork." he replied quietly with a wink.

"I heard that James Potter!" came his wife's voice from the other room.

James blushed slightly as he walked into the dining area and sat across from his wife.

"You look beautiful honey." he said sweetly. She smiled in response.

"You sound like you are trying to suck up dear." she answered with the most sugary sweet voice he had ever heard. Their friends laughed as James' face returned to its originally pink state.

They talked and carried on conversation through out supper, laughing with one another and telling jokes and stories. It wasn't until Alice led them into the sitting room and Frank brought them tumblers of fire wiskey that they told James and Lily they had something to tell them.

"Well." Frank started.

"We were going to wait to tell anyone this, but we realised that you two might just get suspicious. Alice is going to be quitting this comming week." he said wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

James was stunned and Lily looked just as perplexed.

"But...I thought it was what you wanted to be? You just graduated, you worked so hard...Why in the bloody name of Merlin are you quitting now. You realise that you have nearly died because of Voldemort three times now? And now you are quitting?" Lily spluttered.

"Well, that is why, it isn't because I am scared of what he could do to me though." she justified.

"I am afraid of what will happen to the baby if I do get caught and tortured." she finished with only a slight smirk on her face.

"The..The..The Baby? What baby." James said in confusion as he tried to take in the look of elation on Lily's face.

It didn't take her as long to get it. She jumped off the couch and threw herself at her best friend.

"You're having a baby? You're Having A Baby!" she screamed as Alice started to laugh and cry.

James looked at Frank, bemused, before standing to shake his hand.

"Wow, that is...unexpected...but I am really happy for you both. Are you happy?" he asked the other man who looked just as dazed.

"Yeah, a little scared, but happy, mostly happy. We knew you would think something was up. We wanted to be the ones to tell you both. I mean Lils and Alice are like sisters and we work with each other as partners so much I wanted to be able to talk to you about it. You can tell Siri too, I mean after all the three of us tend to get paired up alot, though the whole class will know really soon, we are almost 5 weeks along." Frank replied with a lopsided grin.

"Really mate, really I am very happy for you both and I am glad she is quitting, this line of work wouldn't be good for an expecting mummy." James added.

At the word mummy Lily and Alice both squeeled ridiculously and the boys rolled their eyes.

oOoOoOoOoOoO

James was sitting on the side of the bed later that night watching Lily undress by the dresser across from him. She was taking out her earrings, it was quite sexy to watch her stand there in panties with her hair flowing down her slender back.

"Can you believe it Jamie, a baby." she said happily, he could see the smile on her face in the mirror.

"No I definately can not believe it." he said quietly.

She turned at the dismal sound of his voice and walked over to stand between his legs.

"You aren't happy for them?" she asked, looking into his hazel eyes. He shrugged.

"I don't know, I mean I am. I am glad they are happy about it, but I think it is stupid. How could you bring a baby into this world with the war going on so strong. And knowing that they are targeted because of their bloodline? I mean what life is that baby going to have if the war is still going strong when it is born? Is it going to be trapped in some house all day hiding? I wouldn't want that for our kids." he said laying his forehead against her stomach. She put her hand in his messy hair.

"You mean you wouldn't be happy if I was pregnant?" she said quietly.

James recognised the sadness in her voice and looked up into her eyes.

"Lils, you know that isn't how I meant it, I would be overjoyed if you were having our baby. I would be terrified yes but overjoyed, in a few years, after we win this war. Can you honestly say you want a baby right now? In the middlle of all of this?" he said gently.

"I don't think it would matter when it happened, as long as it was yours I would be happy. But you are right, a baby right now is not the smart thing to do." she said with a sigh.

He leaned forward and kissed her flat tummy.

"Sweety, I can not wait to see our first child, and it better damn well be mine, no one will escape my happiness, or Sirius' for that matter, can you imagine when I tell him he is godfather? But no, right now I can honestly say, for the sake of our baby, we would do better to wait."

She half smiled down at him and climbed over him to her side of the bed. She was so happy tomorrow was her day off, she was tired. She laid down with her back snuggled into James' chest and he wrapped his arms around her. As he kissed her hair her mind ran circles around her, leaving her in a very nearly petrified state, all she could think of was the night James had returned home from his last encounter with death eaters.

They no longer sought to recruit him, they sought to kill him, but he had escaped along with Frank, Alice, and Sirius. That night she had wanted nothing more than to have him as close as humanly possible. She needed him that night like she never had before and he had never before needed her comfort as much as he did then. They made love for hours that night, and fell asleep contentedly in each other's arms whispering I love you's, and I need you's, and I'll never leave you's. They had been so intent on being together they hadn't thought of using the contraceptive charm. Lily had only realised the next day and by then it was too late. But surely, surely one slip up was not enough.


	6. Chapter 6: The Best Bad News Ever

**I do not own HP**

Chapter 6

The Best Bad news ever

Her fingers hurt, you would think that as a medi witch she would know better than to chew her fingernails until they bled but today she could not help it. Lily was sitting on the edge of the table looking at the pale blue wall of her healers office. She didn't know why she was there. She already knew what was wrong, there really was no denying it at this point. I mean hello you only need so many signs.

But maybe just maybe she was wrong. Stranger things had been known to happen. It wasn't that she didn't want this with every fiber of her being, she did, she really, really did, but Jamie, he really really did not. And she hadn't even been brave enough to tell him. She told him she was getting sick from one of her patients and he insisted on calling her out of work and making her an appointment at her personal healers office. He even offered to take off work and come with her, she drew the line right there. She told him Alice would be happy for something to do other than hang out with Franks eccentric mother.

So here she was sitting stock still gripping the edge of the leather table with fingers that had been so chewed they were nothing but bloody lumps, staring at the wall above her best friend's head.

"Lil, really it is going to be ok, I mean it isn't that bad." Alice consoled.

"Alice, he is going to be so mad, he said he didn't want this, he said it, plain as day, can't make a mistake from it. He doesn't want this right now. And here I am about to force it on him anyways." she sniffed

"Lily Potter, it isn't as if you did this all by yourself. I mean really if your gonna do the crime sometimes ya gotta do the time, and he obviously did the crime. This isn't a death sentence though sweety, I promise it isn't azkaban, or anything." Alice said walking over and wiping the hair away from her distressed friend's face.

Lily looked up with tears filling her eyes.

"Yeah, well tell my husband, the logical one, that for me will you." Lily replied trying to hold back her tears as the door to the room opened.

"Mrs. Potter, I have some news for you." Healer Farrow said as she walked in.

"Well Miss Lily, you seem to be expecting a little one. If I had to guess from the counts I would say you are roughly six weeks along and I bet you are due the second or third week in August." she paused for a second to give the stunned girl a chance to respond when she didn't, she continued.

"Now we can go ahead and do some tests, it is a little early to pick up a heartbeat but, if I am not being modest, I am pretty good at those charms, or we can wait three weeks until the standard follow up and we can let your husband hear it with you for the first time." she said warily noticing the silent tears falling down the young mother to be's face.

"I think you should wait, I am sure once James finds out he will want to be here for that. I know Frank did." Alice said quietly to Lily.

Lily merely nodded her head and the doctor took that to mean she was agreeing to wait and wrote down the time and date of the appointment for her and gave her the best potion recipe's for pregnancy, they covered everything from sleeplessness, to vitamins, to nausia, Lily was especially thankful for the last.

oOoOoOoOoOoO

Several hours later found Lily sitting in the center of her bed. Not her and James' bed, the bed in the extra room that James had originally designed to be Lily's, the room she chose to forgo in order to stay with him. She had never slept in here, this was actually the first time she had even been in here for longer than to put something in the closet. She looked up quickly as she heard the main door to their suite open.

"Lils, where are you, why is it so dark in here?" James called from the entry way. Lily remained silent.

She heard him walk through the rooms lighting up each one seperately until he apparently finally noticed the door to "her" room open a crack. He opened it and peeked his head in, obviously not expecting to actually see her sitting there.

"Hey silly girl, why are you in here? In the dark?" he said as he lit the fire with his wand.

The light from the flames flickered off the tears on her face and he noticed immediately that something was wrong with his Lily. He rushed over and sat on the side of the bed before pulling her into his arms.

"Lils, what's wrong, are you hurt? Are you ok? Please talk to me." he said nervously.

However the feel of his arms around her only made her cry harder. She cried and cried until she made herself sick. He was caught off guard as she lept to her feet, hand over mouth and ran to the bathroom.

He followed her and pulled her hair back and handed her a towel when she had finished.

"Go away." she mumbled.

He smirked at her request.

"I will not be going anywhere Lils. What did the doctor say, are you ok, I don't like not knowing what is wrong Lils." he said as he helped her to her feet.

He didn't even flinch as she threw herself into his arms still wearing some of her sick on herself.

"Lily baby, please tell me what to do I can't fix it if you don't tell me." he said softly kissing the top of her hair.

"You..You are going to hate me." she sobbed into his shoulder.

He laughed outloud.

"That is absurd Lily, I could never hate you, shit after six years of torment and insults I still loved you, nothing you could do could make me hate you." he said softly.

"You will this time, something has happened, and you don't...you don't want it...And it has already happened...And I am sorry..But i am not..." she continued to sob.

She was making no sense to James, he held her while he racked his brains for something he could have possibly said that made her think she could do something to upset him. What could she do that he didn't want? And how did that relate to her being sick? In an instant it clicked. He grasped her by the shoulders and held her away from him so he could see her face, her beautiful, red, blotchy, tear streaked face.

"Lily Potter, are you pregnant." he asked bluntly.

She cried harder and nodded her head as tears fell in torrents. She didn't look up at him until he started to laugh. She stared at him blankly until he pulled her back into his arms lifted her up and spun in a circle laughing.

"Why..why are you laughing?" she said warily trying to stop her tears.

He lifted her the rest of the way into his arms and carried her into their room laying her gently on their bed.

"You are having a baby? Our baby? My baby?" he said as if verifying facts.

"Well, who elses baby would I have?" she said indignately.

All he could do was laugh hysterically as he bounced onto the bed. She was reminded forcibly of her first Christmas with him.

"Lily! Why are you crying? You are having our baby!" he practically shouted.

She looked at him, stunned.

"You..You... YOu don't want a baby now, you said so..You are suppost to hate me right now." she said dumbly.

"Hate you...Lily I adore you, you are the most amazing wife, the most amazing lover, the most amazing woman, and you will make the most amzaing mummy. And you are having our baby! OUR BABY LILY! I love you so much." he said throwing himself beside her and pulling her to his lips. He pused as her tears wet his cheeks.

"Why are you still crying?" he said in exasperation.

"I can be happy about the baby?" she whisperd.

"Well I hope you are happy about it. I have been waiting for this moment for years!" he said pulling her back into a kiss. She was the one to pull away that time.

She smiled for the first time that day.

"We are having a baby! Jamie, WE ARE HAVING A BABY!" she screamed and fell back into his arms that were shaking with laughter.

"Yes, love we are, and if we don't quit screaming it is going to be born deaf." he joked as she sat up and bolted out of bed.

"Where are you going, I wasn't done with you." he said sitting up and following her to the fire.

"Well, we have to tell Sirius!" she said happily as she threw glittering dust into the fire.


	7. Chapter 7: Emotional Rollercoaster

**I do not own HP**

**Super short, super sweet, and actually written based on something my hubby told me.**

Chapter 7

Emotional Rollercoaster.

Lily was not the nervous one in the room this time that she could say for certain. While she was sitting on the leather table patiently kicking her feet back and forth James was pacing from side to side. SHe was sure he was wearing the rug down in the wake of his path.

"James, love, sit down that is why the chair is there." she said pointing to the stiff backed black chair.

"Sit, how am I suppost to sit, how are you sitting?" he said nervously.

"Well at least quit biting your nails." she mumbled.

"Yeah you're one to talk." he replied smartly as the door opened and the healer walked in.

"Mrs. Potter. It is great to see you again, and you look so much better this time around." she said with a smile before shaking James' hand.

"Hi James, how are you doing today?" she said happily.

He tried to grin, but it came out as more of a grimace. Lily and the healer both smiled.

"He is a little nervous today." Lily said.

"Well we can do something about that can't we. Why don't you lay back Lily dear and let me see if we can feel where the baby is, get an exact due date and hopefully listen to that heartbeat."

Lily did as she was told and was laying very still when James came to stand at her head and look down into her eyes. He rubbed her cheek with his thumb while they were told that the baby was due on August 15th and that she should be out of her first trimester in just a couple of weeks.

He was still looking into the very most important eyes in the universe when he heard a soft whisper of a charm from the doctor and a loud swishing and a rapid but undeniably a heartbeat filled the room. Lily's eyes filled with tears and James' entire universe tilted on it's axis, for the first time in as long as he could remember he was dizzy with emotion. Relief came first, that sound obviously meant the baby was healthy, joy came next, that was their baby, his baby, he was going to be a father. Fear finally crept in there, he was going to be a father? Who in their right mind thought that was a good idea, he couldn't even raise Sirius right, look how he turned out, love and adoration immediately swallowed the fear whole. This was his baby, his and Lily's baby, he had never loved anyone like this, the closest he could compare it too was how he felt for Lily and it was still so different that he couldn't even explain it to himself. He hadn't even met this person and he knew that his whole world was going to bend for it. He, James Potter, was going to be a daddy.


	8. Chapter 8: The Lost Prophesy

**So different POV in this chapter.**

**I am sorry if you hate it.**

**But I think it is necessary to the central idea of the rest of the story.**

Chapter 8

The lost Prophesy

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." _

The house was dark but majestic. It was very unlike the one he called home. He wasn't proud that his house was home, he thought as he walked through the hallways to the meeting place. He had inherited his house this summer, with his parents deaths. He couldn't care less, they didn't care for him, what did it matter if they were gone now. If in order to prune his tree he allowed his only family to be stricken from the world. SHe didn't care for the purity of blood, that much was clear from her choice of suitor. He planned to use his magic to fix it the way he wanted. He would make it fit for the Prince that he was. He wished he could drop his stupid father's name and take his rightful title, he was the sole heir to the pureblood Prince line. He deserved that name. After all hadn't he given everything to claim his blood status, hadn't he denied the only person he cared about to show his loyalty. He was a Prince.

He opened the ornate black hawthorne door in front of him, and stepped in to the room. Several masked figures turned to look as he entered and sat at the empty chair in the middle of the table. He turned his attention towards the pale man at the very end. He flinched slightly as the redish eyes were turned on him.

"Have you any thing of use for me?" he asked.

He stood and shook his hair form his eyes.

"I...I do, my lord." he said with a bow of his head.

"Well enlighten me." the leader hissed.

"I...I had an interview with Dumbledore last night. And I overheard a...A conversation of sorts, with the self proclaimed seer, Sybal Trelawney." he began.

"I have little use for seer's. This had better be someting important."

"It..It is...She was going on about some rubbish and I was about to leave when she changed, I couldn't see exactly I was looking through a crack in the door but she went all rigid. Even the old fool stopped and noticed the difference. Then she started to speak, in a strange hollow voice, it wasn't her own. She started speaking about...well about you and the person that would defeat you." he finished with a deep head bow.

The man at the end of the table stood, his eyes gleaming.

"The person who would defeat me, are you certain, this wasn't a trick?"

"No I am sure My Lord. You know if I say a false truth do you not? Look for yourself, as I say, I was listening and she began to speak she said '

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... ' and just as she started to finish, that ridiculous, filthy bartender found me out and threw me from the pub. But that is the truth, I am sure that if we ask one of your ministy friends you will find a new prophesy has been added to the hall. But you now know it, we can find the child and dispose of the threat, long before it matters." he said in an oily voice.

The man the other's termed as Lord stared at his hands.

"This can not be but I find no false hood or trickery, or deception at all in your thoughts or story. We will fight against this unseen menace, this child will not survive me, Lord Voldemort. I the heir of Salazar Slytherin will be the leader of the new Wizarding order and the child will die at my hands, as will any who try and stop me. Does any have news to further this?"

"My Lord, I do know of a child being born to two members of the order." a dark haired woman said as she stood hesitantly. She looked fervently at Voldemort.

"The aurors, The Longbottom's, the pureblood blood traitors. She is expecting, I do not know when she is having the brat but I know she is expecting." she said before sitting.

"Sire, the Weasley's they too are expecting another baby. But I think she may be due sooner than July. And I know the Patil family are awaiting a baby, but I do not know the expected date." the man said before sitting.

"My Lord, the..the..not that I am suggesting anything of the sort,,,,but the Malfoys are expecting a baby as well as Crabbe, and Goyle. As is madam Bones." the masked man said before returning to his seat as well.

The tall man nodded and looked at them all.

"So for now we watch and wait. We can mark off all that are born before and after July. We shall see whom appears to be the biggest threat to our empire."


	9. Chapter 9: News

**So for those of you who read the Harry story, I changed it a little bit.**

**If you read the godfather's gift chapter you will know the slight difference.**

**Hope it isn't that big a deal.**

**I do not own HP or much else.**

Chapter 9

News

James smiled at his beautiful wife, she was setting up the dining room with the elves, preparing for their New Year's eve party. Tonight was doubly special, they were announcing the news of the baby tonight. So far, only Sirius, Remus and the Longbottom's knew. But they were having the order meeting at the manor tonight and were having drinks and a get together afterward at which they were going to tell everyone the knews, and tell them that Lily would be sitting out of all order activities until after the baby was born.

"Prongs, for Merlin's sake you are married to her, you knocked her up, you don't have to stand in the other room and stare at her anymore." Sirius said into his ear.

He turned his head to see his best mate standing right behind him. He had apparently just came in. After throwing a mock punch at Sirius he pulled Vin into a hug before she walked into the dining area to help lily.

"I'll give you this mate, she looks great." he said pushing his hair out of his eyes.

James smiled.

"Yeah, thanks for hitting on my wife Pads. She really does though doesn't she." he said letting his eyes linger over the jeans and black turtleneck she was wearing. He was certain no one else would notice, but you could just barely see a hint of a bump at her lower tummy, it didn't help that she kept running her hand over it.

"She wanted to get one more use out of her tight jeans, I am fully appreciative of that decision right now." James said with a grin.

Sirius laughed his bark like laugh before walking into the room and hugging his sister in law.

"Hey pretty lady, when are you going to leave this dead beat husband and tell him that's my baby?" he joked before kissing her cheek.

"Right after Vinniah kills you Pads." Lily said with only a hint of a blush.

As the minutes passed more friends and order members showed up, making the baby talk end for the time being.

They discussed buisness, and missions, as well as Remmy's undercover operations. Pete disclosed some of the goings on he had heard about durring his own operation and they were sadly told of the death's of the Prewitt brothers. Of course this was nothing new to James or Sirius, as they had worked with the brothers on a daily basis. They planned out the meeting and the location for the next meeting and started on giving out new assignments, as luck would have it, the very last assignment was given to James, Pete and Lily.

"Uhm, may I say something?" James said standing.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled expectantly and he nodded.

"I of course am more that happy to go on this mission with Pete here, but Lily is not going to be going, she actually will not be going on any more missions at all." he started.

Dumbledore smiled as if he knew what was comming, McGonagal looked a little taken aback as did several others, including Peter.

"We were going to wait until later, you know when buisness was over, but seeing as it has become pertinent to tell you now, we would like to announce that we are expecting a baby, sometime in the second or third week of August." he said with a very proud grin.

This announcement led to squeals of delight and lots of hugs and kisses for Lily and handshakes and congradulatory pats on the back for James. It was essentially a reinactment of Frank and Alice's news last month.

The only people who did not look overjoyed at the news was Dumbledore, who certainly looked happy, but had a nervous air about him, and oddly enough wormtail. He looked downright devestated at the news that one of his best friends was going to become a daddy in just a few months time.


	10. Chapter 10: The Consequences

**I do not own HP or much else.**

Chapter 10

The consequenses of your actions

THe room was really dark that night, Severus thought as he watched the Dark Lord walk among his deatheaters. He was individually speaking to each of them about the events that had transpired as of late. When he spoke to them in this manner it meant one thing, he was looking for truth, he was using legilmency against them all individually because someone was hiding something. Something important. And they all knew, to attempt to lie to their master, well it was to be killed.

He sat in his seat and watched as all of the others were questioned and as they apparently passed seeing as no one had died yet.

"Why are you shaking?" Voldemort spat at a very small cloaked figure.

"I..I am not..my..my Lord..." the man said in a very small voice.

"YOU are hiding something, something of use. You WILL TELL ME NOW! Or you will die." he demanded.

Severus watched as the man lowered his face to the table and as the Dark Lord raised his formidable wand and shouted.

"Crucio!"

The man writhed on the ground, screaming in agony. For Merlin's sake, thought Severus, just tell him what he wants. The spell was released and the man lay panting at his masters feet.

"I didn't think it of importance, the baby, the baby isn't due to arrive until August my lord." the man said in between sobs.

Everyone's heads snapped to attention at the mention of the word baby.

"Ahhh another baby to born,m why are you protective of this one? Whom will it be born to?" the slippery voice asked the trempling lump of black robes.

"The Potter's, my lord, James and Lily Potter. I only just found out." he said quickly.

Severus felt his world melt beneeth his feet. Lily, pregnant with that imbisil's child, his Lily.

"You only just found out, how did you only just find out, are you not right with in their inner group of friends, do they not trust you, why didn't you know before?"

"I..I..I.. I think they kept it from everyone, not even Dumbledore seemed to know, they just announced it at the order meeting last night. I swear I only just found out. But she isn't due until the middle of August, surely that can't be the child of the prophesy, surely my lord."

Then the thought of what this truly meant crashed around him. Lily was pregnant, by Potter, a man who had defied th Dark Lord three times already, if this baby was indeed born in July he would be the one, the only other option was the Longbottom child. Lily, his Lily would be killed, there would be no safety for her. More than likely both children and parents would be killed just for measure. He was going to lose Lily. And he had pinned all of his hopes on Potter keeping her safe.

"SNAPE!" the voice boomed.

He jumped at being adressed by name, although he was one of very few in their group who was known to all, most of their identities had been kept secret, but seeing as his job was to infiltrate hogwarts and perhaps the order it had been impossible to stay unknown, all Hogwarts applicants were public knowledge.

"Yes my Lord." he replied in the most emotionless voice he could.

He was an accomplished occlumens but when emotions flew this high it was hard to hide them.

"The Prophesy, What did it say, tell us again."

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... " he parrotted unwaveringly.

"As I see it now, we have only two candidates, the Longbottom child, who will be celebrated as a rare pureblood, I would rather not kill a pureblood child. I see so much potential in them. Though if left to be raised by the order he will be of no use to us. And the Potter brat. A half blood, pureblood father, mudblood mother. Won't be isn't as important as the other, but with parents of their strength I dare say the child could have outstanding magical strength. Both parents have thwarted us three times need I remind you of your failures. Though I should think that seeing as the perputrators have since been disposed of you all know how important seeing to my bidding is.

We will wait until they are born. We will see the children, see when they are born. If it is true the Potter child doesn't come until August than our way is clear is it not? If not, then we may just dispose of the entire group, I daresay the order would be weaker with out that lot. Isn't that right my rat like little spy?" Voldemort hissed at the man who was now sitting on his knees on the floor.

"Y-Yes my Lord." he stuttered

"And if it comes to it, you will find a way to help me reach the child, and kill James and Lily Potter?"

"Y..Yess my Lord any thing you desire...Anything." he said softly.

Severus' blood ran cold. Lily could die, and soon this couldn't be happening. He only left her alone so she would be safe. That idiot pureblood was suppost to keep her safe, he couldn't do anything right.

He stared at the small man who had climbed into his seat. He appeared to be shaking, Severus could tell, from being and accomplished Legalmins as well, he was despairing as much as he himself. He didn't want to see them die either. He loved them, well he loved James it appeared. Stupid traitor, that's what happens when you turn spy and try to keep your old life. Eventually you lose it, and apparently even if you give it up, you still run the risk of losing it.

His Lily was standing in the line of the most powerful wand in the world. His Lily, his best friend for most of his life, was going to be killed.

His mind drifted to afternoons spent in the park together and the way the sunlight gleamed off her hair. He could hear her voice like she was right beside him.

"And you will still be my friend? Even if I am in Gryffindor?" she said quietly as she sat on the bottom most step.

"Lily, I will always be your friend, no one will ever understand me like you do, lion or snake does it really matter?" he had said as he pushed her hair from her shoulder.

He remembered her smile that day, just moments after being sorted.

"No Sev, it doesn't matter to me. I will miss you." she said softly as she stood to follow her prefect.

He recalled the feeling of loss, watching her walk away from him that night. He wouldn't lose her for good. This would not be happening.


	11. Chapter 11: Sleepless nights

**I do not own Harry Potter**

**Thank you so much for reading and Reviewing!**

**And thank you for continuing with me for the next installment!**

Chapter 11

Sleepless nights

"Is he still not back yet?" Sirius heard Lily whine from the bottom of the steps.

He turned and couldn't help but smile at her, she really was damn cute. It was really late, around 2 in the morning and he was Lily sitting. She was standing in the hall wearing James' old quidditch jersey, which was now getting tight on her belly, and a pair of her short shorts.

"Lilikins, you should be asleep. Baby Sirius is not going to be happy with you." he said with a silly grin on his face.

She scowled and stuck her tongue out as she walked over and plopped on the sofa beside him.

"I am so tired Siri." she whimpered, he rolled his eyes.

"Well go to sleep silly prego girl." he replied sarcastically.

"I can't! Not with out James! I can't get comfortable, and I can't sleep with this huge thing attatched to my stomach, I need him now." she cried, litterally, suddenly tears sprung from her eyes.

Sirius may have a fiance but she wasn't the crying type and Sirius wasn't really the let me consol you kinda guy.

"Lil, he will be home soon, he said he might not be back till morning remember?" he said soothingly.

She nodded but her tears continued to fall rapidly.

"I need him! He shouldn't leave me." she burst out with before leaning sideways onto her husbands best friend's shoulder.

"I know, I need him right now too." he replied, happy to hear her watery snicker.

"Sorry I know you aren't used to fat crying women." she sniffled.

"You aren't fat Lily Pie, you are carrying my baby!" he balked holding his hand over his mouth.

"Might as well be yours, I see you as much as I see James, probally more!" she cried.

In a shining moment of compassion he grabbed the sleve of her shirt and pulled her over into his arms, he conjured a pillow onto his lap and a blanket fell over her. By now she was crying so hard that she didn't resist she just laid down on the couch while he did what he had seen James do a thousand times in the last 7 months, he twirled a peice of her hair around his fingers and started to hum a song that he could remember Mrs. Potter humming while she cooked.

He could still see tears streaming down the sides of her face, but they were comming more slowly and she was breathing easier.

"Sirius?" she said in a choked voice.

"Hmmm." he muttered, trying to stop mid hum.

"I am scared."

He looked down at her tear stained cheek. Feeling that honesty was better than chivalry in this moment he replied softly.

"I know, so am I, so is he."

He flinched as she sniffled and a quiet sob broke through her lips.

"Is he going to leave me? What if he goes off and gets himself killed?"

He was speachless for a moment.

"Lils, he couldn't leave you if death itself tried to force him to. And if all the odds played against us, and he did die fighting this war then it would be for you and that baby. You are what is important to him now. But you should know, that no matter what happens, ever, I will never leave you either. That goes for you and the mini prongs in there. I love you like you are my sister Lily, and that might as well be my kid in there you know. I already love it more than I can think." he answered gently.

"Thanks Siri," she mumbled as he felt her breathing even out.

He knew after a few moments that she had indeed finally gone to sleep, but being afraid to wake her, he stayed still and continued to twirl that one strand of hair.

oOoOoOoO

The sun was barely up when he heard the front door open quietly and he opened his eyes. James was standing a few feet from the sofa looking at the scene in front of him.

His wife was still laying across his best friend's lap and they were covered with a blanket, Sirius' hand was resting on her head. He could tell by her blotchy cheeks that she had been crying again, and Sirius didn't look too much better. His face was still red and his eyes were swollen. But if he had to bet, he would guess that Sirius had waited till she fell asleep before giving into his own tears.

"Jamie..Really its not..." Sirius started to say in a horse voice until James held his finger to his lips.

He walked over and lifted his wife into his arms and mouthed, come with me, and walked towards the steps. Lily was out, she had gotten so little sleep lately that she didn't even move as he laid her gently in their bed and covered her over. Seeing that she was indeed really asleep he walked from their room and closed the door.

He unbuttoned his shirt as he dropped onto the sofa beside his best mate.

"She couldn't sleep again?" he said tiredly.

"No, she came back down sometime after midnight. She can't take much more Jamsie. I really think you need to consider putting order buisness on hold. For her sake." Sirius replied.

"You know I can't do that...We don't have enough of us as it is. We need us all Pads, its bad enough we are taking turns so one of us can be here." James answered.

"Prongs, she is your wife and she is pregnant and she fell asleep in my lap crying over you. Please think about it, it is really hard to watch her tear herself up like that." he said before standing with a stretch.

"Vin is at her parents, I am comondering my old room, ok?" he added before walking to the door of the suite.

"Yup, see you around lunch." James answered with a yawn.

He threw his shirt and pants to the floor and walked to the room where his wife was asleep. He knew what he was putting her through, but he didn't know what to do about it. They had now lost so many of their numbers that he really couldn't be spared. But a voice in the back of his head replied.

"Who would be better off without you? The order? Or your wife and baby? Who needs you more?" the thought played over and over as he pulled his sleeping Lily into his arms and fell into an uneasy sleep.


	12. Chapter 12: Holding on

**I do not own Harry Potter**

**Thank you so much for reading and Reviewing!**

**This was a spur of the moment idea...hope it goes over well...**

**The POV and timeline is going to go back and forth...so pay close attention!**

**I am going to change the font so you notice it when it happens. One POV is two weeks after the other two, thus the time shift.**

Chapter 12

Holding on.

The house was dark, even with its beautiful ornaments and artistic paintings it looked creapy at night. He bolted up the stairs two and three at a time, racing past his old room, past Moony's study, to the suite of rooms he knew held his only hope. His only grip on sanity.

He threw the door open with a loud bang and enterred the room screaming. He barely heard it as the door to his right flew open.

OoOoOoOoO

**_The cave was dark, and the elf was shaking violently, holding his leg and wimpering pitifully._**

**_"No master, master no." he begged as he summoned the chain from the depths of the black waters infront of him._**

**_The greenish glow from the center made him sick. How could he have helped this happen? How could he have been a part of something so evil? This wasn't him. This had never been him. But he knew, this would be the end of him, it had to be._**

OoOoOoOoOoO

He felt his entire body being shaken violently. He didn't even realize he had sank to the floor. He opened his red streaked eyes to stare blankly into the vivid hazel in front of him.

"What happened! You have to pull it together! Tell me what happened!" he yelled, shaking him even harder than before, trying to get him to respond.

He could hear the sniffling behind him. He knew he shouldn't be causing her this kind of fear. She didn't need it.

"Gone...Gone...Never..Never again...WHY DIDN"T HE LISTEN!...GONE...HE'S FUCKING GONE!" he screamed into his best friend's face.

He didn't flinch. His face went pale behind his tossled jet black hair. He knew that his friend would only react like this to one circumstance.

"Siri, please, who is gone?" James said softly pushing his matted black curls from his sweaty, tear filled face.

oOoOoOoOoOoO

_**Sitting in the boat he thought back to before he was this man. Before he chose this life. It was too late now. He was in, this was the only productive way out. The only way of repentence.**_

_**Why hadn't he listened? What was wrong with him? After all the beatings and punishments he had watched him take for him. All the times he said he did it when really it had been him. He was his brother. The only one to ever really love him. The only one to ever actually say he loved him. The only one who had ever told him the truth. Why hadn't he listened to Sirius. He thought back to afternoons spent playing dragons in the courtyard, and learning to fly the summer Sirius had come home from Hogwarts his first year.**_

_**He thought back to the time he had accidentally wet the bed one night that he had slept with Sirius in his room. He was only little maybe five or so. Their father had discovered the stains in the sheets, Sirius had said it was him. He was beaten until he passed out that day. Later that night he had to be taken to St. Mungo's for two broken ribs, saying he had fallen from the bed while sleeping.**_

_**He was 7 and had spilled the cup of paint on the family tapestry. Though it was well known that Sirius hated to paint he had tried to clean it up and when he got caught he tried and tried to apologize. The sound of their mother's screaming could still be clearly heard in his ears. She had used so many stinging hexes on the 9 year old that he had been in bed for two weeks unable to move.**_

_**He never let him get in trouble. He had never ever been hit or punished to his recolection. He was the baby, the little brother, he was Regulus, Sirius's baby brother, and the only one that had mattered to him.**_

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

_Sirius had thouroughly disolved on James and Lily's floor. He seemed incapable of answering questions._

_"Pads, Siri, please answer me, what happened?" James said calmly, using his hands to force Sirius to look into his face._

_"My mum, sent a letter, a howler, telling me. I never should have been in Gryffindor. It was my fault, I left him to be alone. I left him to be led into that life. And now it is too late. My baby...my brother...Reg is dead. They killed him, Voldemort killed my brother. It is my fault James...I never, never should have left him that summer. I could have stopped him. I could have saved him."_

_James watched as Lily sat, with difficulty, on the floor behind Sirius and put her head on his back, tears pouring down her face. He couldn't think of what to say, after all the loss they had been through together, he was speachless. Out of things to say. They had gone through so much together, always knowing how the other felt...but this...there was no way he could understand how this felt. The only way he would was if Sirius himself were killed, and he would never never let that happen. He was pretty sure he couldn't live through that. It would be like letting his wife and child walk to their deaths, it wasn't something he could do. He had no way to understand the brokeness he saw in his friend's eyes. _

_"Lily, I can't leave the order, I can't let things like this happen. I have to be here with him. I am all that's left. I have to protect him just like I protect you." he said over Sirius' head._

_"I know." she answered simply as she stared into the eyes of her whole world._

_Sitting the rest of the way in the floor he pulled the closest thing he had to a brother into his arms and leaned against the wall behind them. Letting Sirius fall into him, pushing the hair off his face and telling him how sorry he was. _

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

After a while his screams of anger and rage subsided and his tears fell in streams instead of torrents. Lily finally stood up and wobbled her way to the bedroom behind them, sniffling her own tears away as James continued to mumble incoherently. As he tried to make him understand that he had him and he wasn't letting go. And he held on, he held on to his friend, he held on to his brother, he held on to his life, he held on to one of the only things he had to hold on to, one of the only people that mattered, he held on for dear life and wasn't letting go. He held on.

oOoOoOoOoOoO

_**He saw images of his brother's sad face when he turned his back on him. He heard Kreacher screaming for him and felt him trying to keep him on the rock. But the small elf wasn't strong enough. They had grabbed him and were taking him with them. They were never going to let him go. He thought of his brother's face when they were children, the wild laughter as they hid in the attic from the house elves. And it was to that memory that he held on. Until he had to let go.**_

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

**Just in case you didn't follow here is the key**

_**Regulus**_

Sirius

_James_


	13. Chapter 13: When It Rains

**I do not own Harry Potter**

**Thank you so much for reading and Reviewing!**

**First off you should know that Sirius is my fav fav fav character. And I feel terrible.**

**Sorry this took so long to update, we had a leak and then mold and then no where to stay and it got complicted.**

**Home again though so here we go!**

Chapter 13

When it rains.

Sirius and Vinniah had been staying at the manor since the news about Reg. The guys had started a search with in the Auror department for Regulus but so far he hadn't been found. The really odd thing was that most of what they knew about the death eaters was that they were looking for him too. They were at a loss.

It was a Sunny spring night and Sirius had decided to accompany Vinniah to Diagon Alley. She had some things she wanted to buy. None of the friends often shopped anymore, as it wasn't uncommon for people to just go missing and Diagon Alley was no different.

He had stepped into Quality Quidditch supplies for a minute while she shopped for clothing. He hated shopping for clothing. There was almost nothing worse.

"Pads?" he heard from behind and quickly turned.

Walking into the shop looking a little worse for wear was none other than his favorite werewolf.

"Hey moony! We haven't seen you in weeks." Sirius said walking over and gripping his friend in a hug.

"Yeah, Dumbledore has me staying pretty busy. Rileigh isn't too happy about it either. I am here meeting Pete, where's Jamie?" he answered, pushing his lengthening hair out of his eyes.

"Oh, he's with Lily. She is making him start on the nursery. You have to come home and see her. She's huge, don't tell her I said that though, she'll kill me, really, she is really tempermental right now with only a couple months to go. August is comming up quickly."

Remus nodded his head as they watched Peter approach them.

"Hey Pete, where have you been, I have seen Remmy more than I have seen you." Sirius said with an easy smile.

"Oh you know, around. Jobs keeping me busy and all. So little potter still on trac for August, is that what you were saying?" Peter said offhand.

"Yup, no problems so far. James is a nervous wreck and Lily is...well Lily...but the baby seems great. At last check we are expecting August 12th."

"Well that is good. He will get to start Hogwarts as soon as he turns 11 no waiting time!" Peter replied converstionally.

"How is finding Regulus going? I haven't really gotten to talk to you or James." Pete added to Remus' head nod as they walked out of the shop and took seats on benches outside to wait for Vinniah.

"Not well. I mean I guess it is something that we haven't found him dead, but he seems to have vanished. Not even our insiders have any idea what happened. He was just gone all of a sudden, my dear mother took his absence well...She is ranting that he has been murdered by Voldemort himself, but honestly, though I agree...I am sure Voldemort finished him off. I am proud of him. It means he saw how dispicable and low life they all are, and he tried to turn back. If that is the case than at least he died trying to get away." Sirius replied looking down into his hands.

The breeze blowing across their faces was scintilatingly cool. It played with the strands of their hair and lulled them into a false sence of happiness. Even with out Prongs, they were happy to be together again. The screams and explosions came as a shock to their sences and they shot out of their seats. Well Sirius and Remus did, Peter sat petrified on the bench.

"What are you doing! Get up, come on Pete!" Remus screamed watching Sirius' retreating back as he ran into the smoke down the svream riddled street.

Peter sat shaking and held onto the bench.

"N-N-No they are dangerous. I am not going over there. I am not going to die for these people I don't even know." he stutterd.

Remus didn't have time to try and calm him down. Sirius had just run into the fray and he was following. Level headed as he may be, a coward he was not. He didn't give himself time to think about Pete's reaction, he pushed it out of his head.

The next sight he saw brought him screeching to a halt beside his friend who was standing defiantly in front of three masked figures. The bland monotone voice of Lucious Malfoy floated to them. Lupin stared at the blodied limp body hanging off his arm.

"You did this Black. You and your so called friends." He spat, nodding at the pair while a fourth, slightly smaller death eater joined the pack.

"You could have been glorified, you and your pitiful excuse for a brother. This is your reward for Gryffindor bravery. Stupid man." he finished before throwing the bod to the ground at their feet and apparating away.

Remus dropped to his knees and pulled the girl into his arms. Sirius seemed frozen. He was standing over Remus staring down, a look of pure horror on his face. Her face was covered in blood and her eyes were open, but saw nothing.

He looked back up at Sirius who was looking between the face of his dead fiance and the glittering skull that loomed above them.

"Padfoot, she's, there isn't anything I can do. She's gone." Remus said over the noise of the screaming spectators and shoppers.

There were so many people, that they were in real danger of being trampled. His words seemed to have finally broken through Sirius' own blank stare though. Ignoring the pushing and shoving, he dropped to his knees. Not feeling the pain from them colliding arshly with the cobblestone street. The pain from inside had already began to overtake him.

Remus released her as he ripped her from his arms and pulled her to his chest. This was the only girl he had ever loved. She was the only one whose feelings had ever truly mattered to him, and she was dead. She was dead becase he left her alone. She was dead because of his brother. She was dead becasue of his friends. She was dead because of him.

Vinniah was dead and it was Sirius' fault. His tears fell like rain.


	14. Chapter 14: Ready or Not

**I do not own Harry Potter**

**Soo because the reviewer didn't have the capability to be PM'ed a response I am going to answer here...I am sorry if you think the story is depressing...But they are in middle of a war and I think the end we are working toward is sadly and unmistakably obvious...Would seem strange I think if they were carefree no problems and smack VOldy is there and kills them all...It doesn't seem logical to me, though I have read stories where it happens that way. Thank you for your review though and I am sorry you do not like it.**

**Any ways, thank you so much for all the feedback, and for several of you I was surprised that you were waiting to see where Vin was going to go. Here I thought it was going to be an element of surprise type thing...You all know me too well I guess!**

**Hope you like this chapter, sorry about Sirius. My thought process is that he has to have alot of bad memories to keep him sane and himself in Azkaban and I can imagine that it isn't just the dementors that instilled that haunted look in his eyes, something put it there, the dementors just made it permanent... **

Chapter 14

Ready or Not

Lily was so excited as she walked towards the maternity wing of St. Mungo's. Alice had gone into labor, she would soon, hopefully soon anyways, have her baby. She had persuaded James to bring her out, promising him that she felt fine and women that were 37 weeks pregnant often left the house. He was being a bit over protective.

And if he was being protective she didn't know what to call Sirius, he was adamant that she do nothing. And surprisingly so was Pete. He had been around alot since Vinniah died and was helping alot around the house. She did find it slightly strange that his once so busy job seemed to have magically cleared time for him to spend with his friends. Remus had been in and out a little more, she knew he was worried about Sirius after losing his brother and his fiance in such a short time, and he was trying to get to see Rileigh more.

It had taken her all morning to convince them to let her come to see Alice. She had to be here, they had promised each other. Today was July 30th and it looked like baby Longbottom would be imminantly making his arrival.

This made her not only happy for them, but also happy for herself, that meant they just had 3 short weeks to go before meeting their own little one. She grinned at the feel of James' reassuring hand on the small of her back as she climbed the steps that lead to the coridoor.

They sat in the family room, smiling politely at Frank's stern mother and her rather excentric family. They were not waiting for long when the door to the room burst open, Frank stumbling through with a huge grin in place.

"It's a boy! It's a boy. Oh my merlin I have a son." he said sinking into the chair along the wall behind him. Everyone waiting had laughed at his reaction and stood to give him hugs and congratulations.

After letting the family go through to meet the first grandchild, Lily and James stood to be escorted by Frank in to see Alice and baby Neville.

Alice was holding the blue bundled little boy and looked thrilled, though very sleepy.

"Oh Allie! I am so happy for you!" Lily squeeled as she rushed over to her best friend's side.

James clapped Frank on the back and they talked quietly while the girls ooohed and awed over the baby. After a few moments Alice started to drift to sleep so Frank took Neville, accompanied by James to the nursery while Lily decided she needed a restroom break, her own little bundle had been using her bladder as a pillow all day.

She was on her way back to the ward, trying to look down over her bump to her feet when she ran belly first into someone.

"Oh! I'm so so sorry." she said before looking up.

There was no telling whose face was more shocked, hers or sallow, pale face and dark brooding eyes staring back at her.

"Severus...I...what are you doing here." she stuttered.

She couldn't quite place the look on his face, he looked almost fearful, nervous even.

"Lily, why are you here? I though you weren't due for weeks? Surely this is too early, this has to be a mistake." he spluttered back.

She shook her head.

"No, no it isn't me. It is Alice, she just had her baby...Hang on, how did you even know I was pregnant?" she replied.

He watched as her hands drifted protectively down to her swollen stomoach. Her vibrant eyes darted towards the door to her right, no doubt checking to see if the prat Potter was comming to yell at her for talking to him.

"Oh, well, I mean word get around. You did marry an auror. The ministry is as bad as hogwarts you know." he said with raised eyebrows.

She nodded in agreement.

"Yeah I suppose it is isn't it? So...are you doing well?" she asked akwardly.

He shrugged in response as he watched the very door she had been watching open and James Potter step through with narrowed eyes. He flitted immediately to her side like some over excitable puppy.

"What do you want Sn...I mean..nice to see you Severus." he said, changing his sentence after seeing Lily's scowl.

Severus just grunted in reply.

"Well, it was good to see you again Sev. I guess we should get going" Lily said before turning towards the door.

The next moment caught James and Severus off guard. In one twist of her torso she lost her footing on the landing and slipped backwards, she might have caught herself if she hadn't been tottering right on the edge of the stairwell as it was. He had to give it to James, he tried to grab her. But she slipped to fast even for his well trained hands. She toppled backwards down four steps and landed with a thud. Her shriek ringing through the hall.

Both men were immediately at her sides, helping her to sit up.

"Lils, Lils, please tell me you are ok." James cried. And Severus could say, James Potter was actually crying, tears of fear spilled down his cheeks as he ran his hands over his wife's cheeks and arms and belly. He craddled her face in his hands, his tears dripping onto hers.

"What are you doing? Don't just sit there, go get a healer, fast." he said quickly as Lily tried to mumble that she was fine, just a little sore.

Severus looked at his former best friend and the love of his life leaning against his nemisis' shoulder and ran up the stairs to the maternity ward.

"Jamie I am ok, look feel, the baby is even kicking like crazy." she said quietly, placing his hand on her belly.

"Well you are crazy if you think you are not getting checked out." he said back, his voice muffled from burying his face in her hair.

He was trying, and failing, to disguise his tears of fear.

"Well if you are going to insist on them seeing me help me stand, I refuse to be levitated up there in front of everyone. This is ridiculous." she said irritably, crossing her arms over her chest out of sheer stubborness.

James kissed her head once more and pulled away to look at her face.

"Lily, you know I am only worried about you and the baby, you just fell down the steps for Merlin's sake." he replied, laying his forhead against hers.

"I told you I am fine." she said softly, leaning in to kiss his nose.

"And how is the baby, ask how its doing for me, I haven't figured out how to talk to it in there yet." James replied sarcastically.

He felt bad when her face fell a little and worry replaced the stubborness she wore only a second before.

"Oh, James I didn't even think that I couldn't really tell if she was ok. I was just thinking that I was...I am a horrible mother." she cried, tears springing to her eyes.

"Shhh you aren't a bad mum, you are a great one, you are a stubborn one but you are great none the less. I will make you a deal though, I won't let them levitate you in there, once they come see that you are ok to move, I will carry you in, everyone has seen me carry you by force at one time or another. Remember in forth year when I carried you from the great hall and tried to lilynap you?" he said with a smirk.

She giggled a watery giggle and wiped the tears from her face.

"Ok, but I feel just as silly now as I did then."

It took only seconds later and Snape ran through the door at the top of the stairs with the healers on duty. They quickly had her assesed and in James' arms to be carried off to a room.

oOoOoOoOoO

James was sitting with his back to the window, his head lulling back against it. He had dosed off when they took Lily for some scans and was waiting for her return. Unfortunately so much had happened in such a short span of time that he had slept right through her arrival. She was laying on the bed whispering with Sirius who was sitting on the side of her bed.

The door opened to the room and the head healer walked through the door.

"Lily, it is good to see you again, but not in these circumstances. If you wanted a visit you could have just came in. Now where is this daddy to be, I haven'y seen him in a while." he said with a genuine smile as he looked around the room.

At the word daddy James sat straight up, if a little groggily.

"What happened...When did you get back...What time is it...Are you ok...The baby..." he said stumbling to his feet and rushing to the bedside.

Every one in the room laughed as the healer tried to answer all of his half asleep questions.

"Well James, I would say you fell asleep, from the chart it looks like Lily has been back for about an hour, it is roughly 11pm and her and the baby are going to be ok." He said with a smirk.

"Going to be..Why do you say going to be?" he picked up on shrewdly.

Sirius narrowed his eyes and looked between Lily and the healer several times while James finally completed his way over to the bed and placed his lips on her forhead.

"Well, aren't you the observant one Mr. Potter. Lily am I correct in assuming you haven't mentioned the fact that you are steadily having contractions to your husbands here?" he asked in an off the wall sort of way.

She lowered her face so as not to look at James or Sirius.

"Contractions! But we aren't ready, it's too soon. You have to stop it." Sirius stuttered.

Yould barely hear him through James' own flustering,

"But..But...three weeks, she's not ready...She needs time.. I need time.. I am not a daddy yet...I don't..I can't..Nnnnonot ready for this..Can't 't breathe." he said dropping to the floor and gasping for breath.

Lily raised her face and looked at them both sceptically. They were insane..both of them..

"Is there a way to stop it?" she said calmly.

"Well Lily, we could if you weren't as far along but little one here is in the right position, and I think if we try and stop it there could be more damage done than good. Honestly three weeks isn't that early, the baby will be healthy and a good weight, if a little small, and will come home with you. It will be fine. I think I can accurately say, ready or not Mr. Potter, you are going to be a daddy sometime tomorrow. Well, hopefully, for Lily's sake. We wouldn't want her to labor for more than a day, July 31st sounds like a great birthday. Last baby of the month!" the healer said happily as he watched James head drop into his hands.

Sirius stood up and walked over to his best friend to try and calm him down.

"Not, not ready Pads..I can't be a daddy tomorrow, Not ready..I I..." he muttered.

"Well Prongs, ready or not, that baby is on it's way." Sirius replied as Lily smiled.


	15. Chapter 15: Daddy

**I do not own Harry Potter**

**So you should all know that I got so wrapped up in this story that I put off updating my Harry After the War Story...**

**Sorry if you are reading both, it was one or the other and I got myself stuck on this one, I got excited too..LOL.**

**HOPE YOU LIKE IT! HOPE IT LIVES UP TO EXPECTATIONS!**

Chapter 15

Daddy

Climbing back up the stairs Sirius saw Snape peering in the window of the maternity ward door.

"What are you doing Snivilus?" he said with disdain.

"I don't see what it matters, but I was merely picking up the birth certification for young Draco Malfoy. Lucius sent ahead to have me pick it up for him since he wishes to stay at the manor with his wife and new son. I am certain you have heard of the boy's birth last month. What's it to you Black?" Snape shot back.

"Well seeing as you practically caused Lily to fall and go into early labor I think I have every right to know why you are spying through the door." he shot back.

Severus' face paled. He looked visibly stricken.

"Labor...But she said not till middle August. It's too soon, it can't happen right now." he mumbled.

Sirius looked at him in revulsion.

"I don't see what it matters to you. It isn't like you care if any child of James' is born healthy or not. You could give a shite about anything to do with James." he practically snarled in response..

Severus' black eyes narrowed in hate at the man standing before him.

"For once in your miserable blood traitor life, you are correct Black. I couldn't care less if you, your favorite half breed canine friend, or James effing Potter himself got killed by the Dark Lord tomorrow, I could give a rat's arse if that spawn of ego and attitude lives or dies, but I care if Lily does. Ans labor right now is not healthy for her. I don't give a damn how that child is, but Lily is my concern." he spat.

"You are wrong." a voice said from behind both men.

They both turned at the familiar tone. Sirius with a nervous smirk and Sverus with a look of pure hatred and loathing.

"Excuse me..." he said in a near silent voice.

"My wife, is none of your concern. She never will be again. If it wasn't for the fact that for some Melin be damned reason that she can't shake the fact that you were her first wizard friend I would kill you where you stand. You are nothing but a snivling, stinking, pile of dark magic trash and I would rather look at you walk away than waste my time or my magic on you. You aren't worth the breath it cost to speak to you." James growled through his bared teeth, holding a tray of not very apealing looking food.

"If you ever step within feet of, or spy on my wife again, it won't matter what she thinks. I will kill you on sight. And Merlin help you if you so much as think of breathing the air that my child breathes, it will be your last breath. That is a promise."he finished as he strode past both men and walked through the door back into the maternity cooridor.

oOoOoOoOoOoO

"Hey Lils." James said with a genuine smile as he walked into the room with the food tray.

She wrinkled her nose at the smell.

"I know, I am sorry. It was all they'll let you have, something about labor and getting sick. I am sorry love, if you want I will charm it for you." he offered sympathetically as he sat the food on the table beside of her bed.

"Thanks for sitting with her Pete." he added, nudging his friend who was standing at the foot of the bed.

"No problem Prongs. Where did Sirius escape off too?" he asked.

"hhhmmm, oh he was, erm, talking to Severus." James said in an offhand voice.

Lily turned her head sharply to look at her husband's innocent expression.

"James I swear, you didn't start anything did you?" she said with obvious warning in her tone.

"Really Lily, does that seem like something I would do at a time like this?" he replied with non chalance.

Peter grimaced and edged his way out of the room.

"Yes, it does sound like something you would do actua...aaahhh...ahhh." she yelped as she gripped the rail of the bed.

"Lily! What's wrong... Do you need a healer?" he replied frantically rushing to her side.

She panted for a few minutes and slowly released the bars.

"No you prat, it was a contraction. Did you think I was going to enjoy them? Honestly." she said with a huff.

James couldn't help but smirk even with as worried as he was. Her moodiness had actually amused him these past few months. It reminded him of their early Hogwarts days. He leaned into her and kissed her hairline.

"I love you Lily Potter."

"You better, I am about to make you a daddy." she said with an evil grin.

As expected, just the mention of the word sent James into near hyperventalation. You would have thought he was in labor too. Sirius strode through the door a few seconds later and frowned at his friend who was sitting in the chair gasping for breath.

He eyed Lily speculatively.

"What did you do?" he said with a shake of his head, unable to hide the smile.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Nothing really, just mentioned that he was gonna be called Daddy instead of Prongs, soon enough."

James face was steadily getting whiter as Sirius bellowed a laugh.

"Nothing to worry about Prongs. If it makes you feel better, I refuse to call you daddy, you'll always be Prongs."

"Or Jamesie..." Lily piped up.

"Yeah, or Jamie Boy" Sirius added.

"Don't forget Prongsie." Remus threw in as he walked through the door with balloons.

"Remmy hi! Thank you! Oooh does arrogant Git still count? It was one of my favorites." Lily said sweetly as Remus leaned down to hug her.

And though he was scowling at all of them, James was once again breathing normally and was not quite as white as before.

"Oooooh and there was the time I..IIII.. aghh aghhh." she cried out.

James abandoned his spot immediately and rushed to her side. While Remus and Sirius looked between the two and decided that they were definately not required to sit through this. Marauders they may be, married about to be daddies they were not. Uncles maybe, but this was way past that job description.

oOoOoOoOoO

Just as Sirius landed another check mate against Remus, James rushed through the door of the family area. Peter was sitting talking quitely to Frank, who was still there with Alice, but as she was sleeping and Neville was with the nurse maids, he was keeping the guys in waiting company. All four men looked up.

"Not yet. I can't believe it is taking this long." he said sinking into the chair by the door.

"Merlin Prongs. It is 10:00 at night, she has been at this for nearly 24 hours. Is she alright?" Sirius said in alarm.

James' face was firmly planted in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. He nodded glumly.

"She is..She is so tired though.. I feel so bad.. There isn't even anything I can do to help, she is so tired she isn't even yelling at me anymore, she is just crying, honest to merlin crying...This is too much." he mumbled through his fingers.

Frank stood up at walked over. Clapping his friend on the shoulder.

"James she is going to be ok. I promise, I understand. I just did this just yesterday. She is stronger than you think. Remember this is Lily we are talking about. She has put up with you four these last how many years? She can do this. And you are going to be a daddy very soon. It's amazing, I promise."

James looked up at the man standing above him with a watery smile before standing and stretching, getting ready to go back into the room.

"Honestly, whoever thought making me a daddy was a smart idea? They didn't know me very well did they?" he murmerred shaking his head.

"You are going to be a great dad James. Look how well you did with me." Sirius said holding his arms out wide.

In that moment the door to the hall opened and the healer motioned James in,

"yes exactly my point." he said as the door closed behind him.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Ok Lily, this is it. I need you to give me one last really strong push okay? You do that, on the count of three and this baby is going to be in your arms."

"I can't. I can't..I am so tired...I can't." she cried, tears pouring down her face.

The healer looked meaningfully at James. He didn't know what he thought he was suppost to do about it. He decided to try talking her through it, after all every once in a while she listened to him. He leaned down and took her face in his hands.

"Lils, you can, I promise you can. You are so amazing I know you can do this. Come on how long have you been waiting for this baby? Just one more Lily, please just one more." he said looking straight into her brilliantly green eyes.

She nodded and held her breath, she could feel the contraction starting.

"Ok Lily, ready? One, breathe lily, two, breathe, three and push! Push."

She did, with everything she had. James didn't think she had screamed like that ever. Not even the time she was being tortured. He looked down towards the healer expectantly but the healer meerly shook his head, James felt his own head drop in dismay.

"Where is she? Why isn't she crying?" Lily cried trying to see around her husbands face.

"It didn't work Lily, but you are so close." he said, he was so tired, so he knew she was exausted.

He flinched at her glare.

"What the bloody hell do you mean? YOU SAID ONE MORE TIME! THAT WAS IT! I AM DONE YOU WANT A BABY GIRL YOU GET HER OUT THEN!" she screamed.

James glanced at the healer who looked torn between laughter and fear. James could understand the sentiment.

"Lily I promise you she is almost here babe. SHe is so close, you can see the top of her head. Just please, just push, please Lily." he begged.

She began to cry in earnest and sagged back into the pillows propping her up. James pulled her back up into the position she was suppost to be in.

"Do it for me, I can't, you do it for me, please." she said weekly.

"Lils I can't." he said desperately. He looked at the healer, silently begging him for help.

"Ok, James move the pillows and sit behind her. Let her rest against your chest ok. You are going to help her. You have maybe four minutes to rest. She can't do it alone, right Lily."

Lily nodded pitifully and James, not knowing what else to do, moved the pillows and climbed behind her, letting her sit between his legs and lean against his chest. Sitting in this postion he could feel how tired her body was, it fell into him like a lead weight. Her gown was wet with sweat.

"She is too hot. She can't do it because she is too hot." he said.

He started untying the gown and pulling it off her, he threw it to the medi witch beside the bed. Ever conscious of her surroundings Lily tried to cover herself with her arms. He moved pushed them back down.

"Honestly Lily, you are something else." he said, astonished that she was worried about modesty at a time like this.

"Here, we are nearly even." he said as he pulled off his, also sweat drenched, tshirt and threw it on the floor.

She leaned her bare back against his chest and he felt her breath fall out of her body. She was relaxing for the first time in nearly an hour of pushing.

"Ok Lily, only a few more seconds ok. James take your hands and grab behind her knees, you are going to help her push, she needs your strength too. Count it with me. You ready Lily?" the healer asked while showing James where to hold her knees and how to hold her in place.

She nodded as she whimpered as the pain set back in.

"One," he whispered into her ear.

"Two!" he said a little louder still, pressing his cheek into hers, trying not to hold his breath.

"THREE! PUSH LILS!" he yelled.

He screamed with her when she pushed. He could taste her tears on his lips while he continued to chant push baby, push into her ear. He found himself actually trying to push with her, until she fell back into his arms and the softest most amazing sound in the world caused absolute silence from everyone in the room.

A clear, brand new, baby's cry.

"She's here?" Lily said through her tears.

"Nope." The healer said with a grin.

"But HE is."

Lily looked over at James, shocked for a second.

"It's a boy?" James said, just as mesmerized.

"Yes, here, meet your son." he said as he laid the sticky baby on Lily's bare chest.

James took his hands from her knees and placed one on her cheek, the other on the wailing little boy's back.

"Well you sure were a little trouble maker this evening, little mister Potter, Happy Birthday, First baby in August." the healer said looking at his watch.

"Uhm, no sir. He was officially the last baby of July. You were born at 11:59. Happy Birthday little trouble." the nurse said, using one hand to help support Lily.

He could see Lily's tears splash off of the squirming infant, he could feel his own pouring down his face as he cut the umbilical cord and when he pushed a finger over the matted, wet, blood black hair covering the baby's head. He laid his chin on Lily's shoulder to get a closer look at his son...his son. As if sensing people were trying to see him, the baby opened his eyes for the first time, and his father was floored to see the irridescent green staring back at him.

"Hi little man...I don't know what we are going to call you, now that you aren't Carley Rose, but you can call me daddy."


	16. Chapter 16: Godfather

**I do not own Harry Potter**

**Short but sweet. Lots of Fluff, and a little tie in with the other story, see if you catch it!**

Chapter 16

Godfather

He was dosing with his head against the wall when the door to the family waiting area banged open. He opened his eyes immediately and smiled at the ashen face of his best friend.

"It's a boy." James said with a huge grin.

"A BOY?" everyone in the room coursed.

"Yup, the healer was wrong at the check in, he is most definately ALL boy! He is amazing, he has Lily's eyes, exactly, like they have been copied into his head." he answered.

Sirius stood up from his temporary napping place and walked over to his friend, James was so beside himself he was shaking slightly. When he got to his side he wrapped him in a hug.

"Congrats! How does it feel being a dad?" he said as he pulled away and clapped him on the back.

James smiled brilliantly in response.

"I'll let you know when I calm down enough to breathe. In the mean time why don't you tell me how it feels to be a godfather?" he said slyly.

Sirius' mouth dropped open. He was momentarily speachless.

"G..Godfather? Me, I am godfather?" he stuttered.

James, Remus, Peter and Frank all laughed.

"I can't believe you are surprised. Of course you are. Why don't you come meet him, Lily asked to see you too." James said pushing the door that led to the patient rooms open.

Sirius nodded silently and followed through.

oOoOoO

When he walked in the sight that met him and James stopped both of their breath. They were pretty sure that they had never seen Lily look this peaceful or beautiful. She was sitting up in bed, her hair all thrown over her shoulder with a little baby laid on her lap. She was staring into his eyes. Completely meserized.

"Hey Lilikins, how are you doing?" he muttered as he walked over to the bed side and leaned forward to kiss her head.

"Hey Siri" she smiled up at him.

"We are both doing great now. I am really tired though." she said.

"I can't believe you are even still awake." James said comming to sit at the bottom of the bed.

"Yeah well it won't last for long I promise. Would you like to hold your godson?" she said with a smile looking up into Sirius' face.

"Erm, I don't know, he is so little. We might need to wait for him to get a little bigger." he replied stepping back from the bed.

"Don't be silly. He is only a little small because he is early but he is perfectly healthy and I promise, he won't break. Come here and take him." she said firmly holding her arms towards him.

He stepped forward and put his hands under the little bundle of baby. As he pulled him closer into his body the blankets fell to the side and he saw the mess of black hair on his head, and his long long eyelashes. Even his little arms had hair on them. He couldn't believe how perfect he was. It was like a real little person laying in his arms. The baby let out a small wimper at being cold and he was astounded at how the little cry caused his eyes to prick with tears.

How could he already love a little person this much, expecially as it wasn't even his baby. But it was true, he absolutely adored this child. He was already wrapping himself tightly around his godfather's heart. And at once he understood the look of adoration in James' eyes.

"He is amazing, what is his name? Not Carley right?" he asked, still looking into the face of the very little boy.

"Well he haven't really had a chance to think of boy names, we never picked one out." James said with a shrug.

"Well you sure are a fuzzy little thing." Sirius said rubbing the long hair on the little head.

"I know I can't believe how much hair he has." Lily said fondly through a yawn.

"Well until they come up with something I am going to call you fuzzy...You look like me when I play as padfoot, all Harry, no that's you nickname, Daddy is prongs, I am padfoot, you can be Harry." Sirius said kissing the little head.

"Harry...James, I like that. James what do you think?" Lily said her eyes shining looking at Sirius holding her baby boy.

"I..I really like it. But the way you just said it, Harry James Potter." he replied.

Sirius looked up astounded that they were really considering that as a name, he had only been joking.

"Really, you would name him that?" he said, lost for words.

"I love it. Harry James, meet your godfather. Sirius Orion Black. Now give me back my baby." Lily said with a joking smile.

Knowing she was kidding but also knowing how tired she was Sirius walked the baby over to her and placed him in her waiting arms.

"Get some sleep sweety. Both of you need sleep. I will go let the others know it will be a while before visits. Thank you, so much, you two have no idea how much this means to me." Sirius said, his sincerety obvious in his words.

"Sirius, it wasn't even a choice, you were always the godfather mate." James said walking over and hugging his friend.

"You are going to be a good daddy." he said as he clapped him on the back.

"Just as you will make a great uncle and godfather." James replied.

"You two get some rest, and I will see you later." he said softly, he turned before leaving the room.

"See ya little man."


	17. Chapter 17: In your Opinion

**I do not own Harry Potter**

**SO SO SO sorry it has taken so so long! Like I said in the other update, I have been really really sick with the third trimester...**

**In and out of Dr. and Hospital, and just trying to worry about the baby boy. **

**My meds make me sleep...alot..Which is what I need because of the Pre Eclampsia issues but I feel**

**horrible for not updating sooner. **

**I really am doing it best as I can, I hope you understand.**

Chapter 17

In your opinion

The now familiar table was full for this meeting. Severus was sitting with his face burried in his hands. This was his damn fault. Why had he volunteered to go to the hospital to see if the Longbottom child had been born? If he hadn't none of this would have happened. Lily wouldn't even be in danger. This was all his fault. Well his and James bloody Potter. If he would have jsut butt out none of it would have happened either.

He didn't even look up when he heard the Dark Lord enter. He wasn't sure he could hide behind his fortress of a mind tonight. Occlumency had always been his forte, but he was so riddled with despair and fear that he knew he couldn't hide it tonight. What was he going to do. They were all meeting to hear him speak. It was going to be down to him to them all that not only had the Pureblood brat been born but so had the Potter baby. And literally as the month ended. How else could you take that.

"I trust that there is a reason that one of our number is missing from my presence?" the voice hissed as he sat down.

He didn't need to look up to know it was he who was being addressed. He stood with a nod of his head.

"Yes my Lord. You gave orders for him to watch the Potter's and to be an order insider and he is doing so right now. If he would have come it would have been very obvious and blown his cover if not immediately then very soon." Severus said quietly. "I told him to stay and I would see to it that you knew of the circumstance."

The slender man nodded in assent.

"What news do you bring of the hospital. Has the Longbottom child been born?"

"Aye, he has been. He was born on the day of the 30th. His name is called Neville. It is a son of pureblood." Severus said with certainly, hesitating at the end only slightly.

Voldemort placed his fingers together and leaned his face down to them, almost as if he was in prayer.

"There is more I sence. You have more to tell me Severus, continue."

"Potter, the Potter child was born yesterday. At 11:59 PM on the 31st of July. A boy, I believe his name to be Harry. Born to Lily and James Potter." he said softly, in barely more than a harsh whisper.

Voldemort raised his face to look more intently into Severus'. The entire population of the table was whispering nervously.

"Two births. Both to Parents who have thrice defied me. Interesting, seems we have a choice to make, though we could just do away with both, then it wouldn't matter either way. What say you Severus."

"I?" he questioned, surprised at being asked his opinion.

"Yes, what do you think, which child is the greater threat?"

"I would think, in my opinion, it would be the Longbottom child, he is of purest blood, the Potter boy's mother is a mudblood, he isn't pure enough to be of any harm to you I am certain. Filthy half blood can not stand against the purity of old my Lord." he said before bowing his head and returning to his seat.

The leader of their conversation said nothing in return he merely stared intently into the lesser man's eyes.


	18. Chapter 18: Guy Talk

**I do not own Harry Potter**

Guy Talk

Chapter 18

It was silent throughout the manor, which immediately had James awake and on alert. They had been home for three weeks now and even when the baby was asleep silence was very very hard to come by these days.

Remus and Sirius were both back home, which meant that Rilleigh was more often than not there too. Something was always going on somewhere, but tonight seemes eerily quiet. He looked over at his wife, sleeping peacefully for the first time in days. She actually looked comfortable and was plainly exausted.

If he were honest with himself, none of them had been ready for what having a baby brought to a home. For two and half weeks old Harry was a handful, and no matter what Frank and Alice said about the baby sleeping all the time, or being calm except at feeding time that was not their baby! Harry was awaike! Alot! James actually was already afraid of what was going to happen when he got older, he alredy seemed expecially inquisitive for his age.

In order for you to get him to sleep everyone had to leave the room, turn off all lights and stay far far from the door, if he heard any noise he was up and needed to see what was going on. Lily blamed James' inexplicable attraction for trouble and need to be the center of attention, James was blaming Lily's need to know everything and said that he truly hoped his son wasn't going to be a nose in the book all night kinda kid.

Tonight however, the clock was reading 3:00 AM and he knew they had laid him down around 9:00PM there was no way that he was still asleep. His longest sleep had only been 3 hours before this. So he tiptoed across the hall to peek in the blue and yellow nursery. But as he approached the door he noticed that it was already open, and appeared to be empty.

Panicing abit he rushed back into their room to see if Lily had fallen asleep with him, which no there was no baby in her arms. Walking back out of the room he noticed the double doors leading to the main house were slightly ajar so he stepped into the hallway seincerly hoping he wasn't going to have to wake up his exauseted wife and tell her he couldn't find their son.

As he walked past Remus' room he noticed the lights under the door appeared to be out and there was no noise from within so he continued on to Sirius' room, hoping beyond hope he knew what was going on.

He walked up and saw the door slightly cracked so leaning forward alittle he peeked in and couldn't help but grin and his bestmate.

He was laying on his back with his knees propped up and Harry was cradled inbetween his legs, looking everybit of absorbed in his godfathers words.

"So you see mini, it took us the better part of 3 years to figure it out so we need to get you started now so by the time you are big enough that your mama won't strangle us for letting you try, you will aready be ready. But first thing is first, you need to figure out your inner animal. Now I say you are going to be something fuzzy...I mean look at that hair..."he said gently rubbing the black stand on end hair.

"Hmmm I am not too fuzzy and my hair does the same thing you know." James said with a grin as he leaned on the doorframe.

Sirius merely grinned and continued to play with the unruly whisps on the baby soft head.

"When did you kidnap my baby? Like to scared me to death." he added comming to sit beside them on the bed.

Sirius shrugged.

It was around midnight. I figured you'd be up with lil man here by then but you were both asleep. But Mr. Man was already awake and whining, not loud but I knew Bink would get a bottle for me so I snatched him and figured you could sleep. We have been having some guy talk...You know since your wife doesn't let you have that anymore." he replied with a smirk.

James nudged his shoulder lightly, trying not to knock the content baby from his spot.

"Yeah well, he seems to be pretty quiet in this talk. Are you sure he is enjoying this?"

"Yup, he is the strong silent type, huh Harry."

At that the little version of James scrunched his face into deep concentration and James laughed heartily.

"Yeah well, he is letting you know what he thinks of that, and when he is done oh Godfather dearest, you get to put him to bed, after taking care of that nappy issue you're about to have." he chuckled before jumping off the bed and bolting out the door.

Sirius looked dismally at the baby in his hands, whose face was going from one shad eof pink to red as he concentrated on his job at hand.

"Really Harry, and I thought we were having a good time..."


	19. Chapter 19: Flames

**I do not own Harry Potter**

Flames

Chapter 19

It was literally raining fire onto the manor as James held his screaming son close to his chest. He could see the flames pouring past the windows and could make out the masked death eaters in the yard beyond. He was hyper aware of Lily's screams from behind him, and of Sirius begging her to calm down and qui struggling.

"Lily, Lily listen to me, James has the baby, he is fine, you need to come with me. I can't keep you safe if you don't calm down." he shouted as she tried to pull her arm out of his grasp to reach her son.

"The baby, Harry! Harry, let me go I have to get to him." she cried over on over as Sirius struggled to maintain his grip on her.

"Lily we have him, if you don't calm down you and I are going to end up dead, do you want your son to grow up without a mum? Come on, James is going to take him by floo, he can't apparate with him. You have to come with me, there isn't enough time for us to wait to floo too. Come on!" He said urgently as the smoke got thicker and thicker.

Knowing it was his only hope James turned to his wife and placed his palm on her cheek.

"Lils, you are going with Sirius, you are going to Remus' study because we have it magically enforced for his werewolf moments, it is the only place in the house you can apparate from. You have to go. Harry can't apparate yet. He is too little. You are too panicked to floo with him. If you want to see him again go with Sirius, Remus and Rileigh already got out, you have to go. Go NOW!"

"No I am not leaving you, I am not leaving my son!" she shrieked.

Sirius looked at James panicked, they had to get out now or they were all going to die. James raised his wand and pointed it at his wife, the love of his life.

"Imperio! Lily you will go with Sirius Black to the study, you will apparate out of this house. You will leave me and Harry behind. You will apparate to the headquarters of the Order of the Pheonix, and when you arrive this spell will lift." he shouted before lowering his wand and running down the hall knowing he had just done the only thing he possibly could have done to save his wife and son.

He was foolish to think she was going to leave this baby, he should have waited till they apparated and not told her the full plan. She was going to hate him for what he did.

The cracking of the beams of the house brought him to his scences. He had to save his son, to do that, they had to get to his bedroom. It was possibly the only fire not blocked, being a newer part of the house he didn't see how anyone would know that the fireplace in there even existed. As he thought it another scary thought entered his mind. "Well they have known everything else. They seem to always know more than we think they should."

As he reached with his hand a blast from with in made him stop. Someone was in there, they had found the fire, the only possibility now was his father's den, no one, excluding Sirius knew of that place, and had they not found it on accident when they were 13 he doubted that they would know about it now.

He hoped beyond hope that the sounds of the raging fire and blasts were covering the sounds of Harry's cries. He ran to the charmed hidden staircase that lead to the attic Den, the place that housed everything his father held dear to him. As they came up the landing James couldn't help the tears that fell as he saw the fire making its way through the enchanted walls and beginning to burn albums and baby clothing that had once been his.

He turned quickly to the old fireplace and pointed his wand, watching a fire spring to life below the mantle. He knew there was powder in the snuff box, afterall that was how he and Sirius had gotten themselves lost in the fireplace that summer. Throwing the glittering dust into the flames he gripped his world tighter in his arms. Just as he saw the door to the room burst open he spun on the spot and dissapeared into safety.


	20. Chapter 20: Relative Safety

**I do not own Harry Potter**

Relative Safety

Chapter 20

He still hadn't fully caught his breath when he first felt the hands trying to rip the child from his arms. He clung tighter to his son. Knowing that if he failed at everything else he owould not fail this baby. This was his reason for living, this was Lily's reason for living they had promised each other long ago and he would rather die right here than break that promise.

He couldn't understand, they should be safe, he had went to the Order. Why was he still fighting? The smoke hadn't cleared from his chest or his eyes. The baby was screaming, he was screaming, they were both coughing and gagging, he could hear Lily screaming...Wait...he could hear Lily...

"James! Harry! Are they alright? James! James answer me! Please, Dumbledore please help them!" She screamed.

The sound of her petrified voice told him that hey were indeed safe. He had sent her with Sirius to safety. There was no where else she would be. Feeling relief for the first time since hearing the first crackle of flame in the middle of night, he sunk to his knees gripping the squalling bundle more tightly.

"James, give him to me." the familiar comforting voice said.

"Give Harry to me."

James clung more tightly and buried his face in the mass of wiggling blue and yellow blankets and fuzzy sleeper. He heard some scuffling and felt a strong hand grip his wrist.

"Jamie, give me my godson and let me make sure he is ok. I think Lily is preparing to hex you and you don't want Harry in the way of a Lily-curse now do you." Sirius said huskily as he took the still screaming and coughing infant from his arms.

James finally looked up and saw his amazingly beautiful wife standing over him. Her face was covered in grime, soot and tears. Her eyes were red and glassy and she seemed to be hicupping for breaths. However unlike Sirius' threat her wand was not drawn her arms were hanging at her side and she looked bewildered and terrified all at the same time.

"Lils..." he croaked.

"I am so sorry...I just...I'm sorry...I didn't..I couldn't...I am sorry." he said struggling to breathe the clean air. He let his head fall forward onto the floor below.

He heard the sound of knees hitting the floor and felt soft hands gripping his hair. The fingers ran over his cheeks, it wasn't until then that he had realised he had been crying. He felt them trace his lips and his cheekbones, and finally force him to look up into her albeit red but clear green eyes.

"You are amazing, you saved him, you are alive, and when I am not so happy to see that you are still here with me I will hex you." she sobbed as he sat up and pulled his shaking wife into his arms.

He looked up as he held her just as close to him as he had their son, he saw Dumbledore nodding at Sirius and watched as Sirius placed the baby against his shoulder and rocked him soothingly. As much as he wanted his son in his arms he knew that Lily's hysterics would just upset the already distressed little boy more so he contented himself in knowing that Sirius was above all the person he trusted with that baby.

He turned his head to look Dubledore face on.

"Why, why do they keep comming after us. I haven't been going to work. I am on an indefinate leave of absence. I haven't been active in the order lately. I don't understand." he said, mortified to hear the plea for answers come out of his normally proud mouth.

"I must tell you something. I was waiting, until we knew for certain. I would have warned you sooner but I only found out for sure tonight. I found out at the same time you were attacked. I had no way to stop it. There was no time to intervene." Albus said, a grim look upon his face.

"We understand, you couldn't stop it, what do you know." Sirius said harshly.

Dumbledore looked at Lilly, still crying softly into her husband's lap, and at James, kissing the top of her head softly but staring daggers at the man before him. He turned to Sirius and stared at the now sleeping baby he cradled so protectively against his heart.

"There has been a prophesy."


	21. Chapter 21: In Hiding

**I do not own Harry Potter. **

**Hey all! I hope those of you here in America had a great holiday last month!**

**It has been busy getting ready for the little one, we are down to 6 weeks...**

**I am only slightly freaking out... **

Chapter 21

In Hiding

"So what you are telling me is that bloody fucking Voldemort is comming after my baby! What the fuck! Did you at least kill the bloody prophet..." James yelled while trying to hold a shaking Lily in his arms.

"Well honestly I thought it more prudent to keep her safe...And alive..." Dumbledore replied gravely.

Sirius then spoke up for the first time.

"What do we do." he said simply.

"I think you should use the fidelius charm. It is the most surefire way. I will of course consent to be secret keeper, he will never get it out of me." The old man said as he knelt before James and Lily. James was on his knees holding Lily and whispering into her ear.

"No, absolutely not. We won't be able to live. I don't want my son raised like a caged animal. There has to be another way. We haven't even tried to fight, or anything reasonable for that matter. Obviously they knew we were at Potter manor. Everyone knows we live there. There has to be somewhere else whare we can go that no one will know about. Somewhere less obvious." James said firmly looking back and forth between Dumbledore, Sirius, and Remus.

"My uncle's house. You know James my uncle that left me the gold. He left me his summer house in the county. Not many people know of it. And any who do are not going to think you would be in the house of the Black's. I am sure they wouldn't think of it. You can make it unplottable. And untraceable. Put up apparition guards and floo protection. There would be no need for the Fidlius charm. Bellatrix never knew my uncle well and was never there, though she would never suspect it either way. After all he is dead and wiped off the family tree. They will not think of it I am sure." Sirius said with an aire of finality in his voice.

Dumbledore gave him an odd searching look.

"I don't think that is the best of plans.. I think you should be hidden from everyone. Friends included." he said uncertainly.

"No I trust my friends, and Sirius is right. I think that is as good a starting place as any. We will not use the fidelius charm unless it is a last resort." James said, finally standing and pulling Lily up beside him.

oOoOoOoOoOoO

Months had passed. It was creeping up on Christmas and James was resetting up a crib in a small yellow and blue room. This had been their 3rd move since the fire. 3 new houses in 3 months. Honestly it was wearing.

He felt guilty for repetedly denying the fidelius charm. It just seemed wrong to not let Lily and Harry out at all. They couldn't live like that. It wasn't fair. They had nearly exausted their idea's. They had been discovered at the Black's and then at Remus' parents. They now decide to start completely fresh. Buying a small house in a muggle neighborhood. They had discussed a new location with Dumbledore. But they were only using it as a last resort. It would be their charmed house. If nothing else could be done.

James had quit going on missions all together, and took a permanent leave from the Auror department. Sirius and Remus had rented a flat together in Hogsmede after all neither of them were around often. Both running mission upon mission. Rileigh stayed with them, intent on making sure they at least ate when they were home.

James already felt caged. At least without the charm he and Lily could take Harry to the park, or walk him in the pram. Or let him play in the garden.

He smiled as he thought about the wonder on his son's face as the first snowflakes had landed on his cheeks. That face was worth all the moving. Harry was a hyper, happy, rambunctious, little boy. He needed air and a life and James was going to make damn sure he had one.


	22. Chapter 22: Life In Hiding

**I do not own Harry Potter. **

Chapter 22

Life In Hiding

"James Potter! Could you at least try and keep him away from the tree? I mean it isn't that hard to tell him no." Lily scolded as she walked into the kitchen, catching both James and Sirius trying, unsuccessfully, to stuff the rest of the christmas candy into their mouths.

"Honestly, I don't know who gets into more mischief the baby or you two. Go watch him, and I swear to Merlin if I find one more chewed up ornament in his mouth I am going to throttle you both." she said playfully as both men hustled into the sitting room to watch the precotious baby.

The little dark headed boy was sitting on the floor staring at the big tree in front of him. The lights made his eyes sparkle. It reminded James of the way Sirius' sparlkled when they planned a prank.

"Hey mess monster! How's my boy doin?" Sirius chanted as he picked up the giggling baby and threw him into the air.

"blah ght bhal" Harry replied as drool poured from his mouth onto his godfather's adoring face.

"Ah..Someone found a candycane huh?" He said with a grin as the peppermint scented slobber ran down his cheek.

"Harry James you are going to make Mummy get mad at me." James said reaching out for his son.

The baby clapped his hands and squeeled happily.

"hey Pads, how bout we clean up the rotten one and put him down for a kip, then we can get back to Lily's candy?" James said before kissing the sticky cheek.

Sirius shrugged and followed his best friend into the bathroom at the end of the hall. Getting Harry clean was much more fun than he had initially thought it was going to be. The baby laughed and yelled. Both he and James were somehow just as wet as Harry was. There were bubbles on the floor and soap on the walls. He couldn't help but laugh at Lily's face when she peeked in the room and snorted in disbelief at the mess he and James had made of a supposedly simple task.

After the bath extravaganza he took Harry from James and offered to carry him to his room for his nap so that James could clean up the water mess. As soon as they walked into the room the baby began to fuss. Sirius grinned down at the pouty faced, blue clad bundle in his arms.

"You are too smart for my own good. How am I supposed to listen to your daddy and give you nap when you look at me like that? You know I don't tell you no...We really should have had your mean ol' mum do this part.

"I heard that Sirius Black!" Lily shouted from the hallway.

Sirius shook his head and instead of heading towards the crib he walked over to the rocker in the corner.

"Honestly monster, I don't see how you are going to get away with anything when you get bigger. That woman hears everything. I will have to take you on some adventures just us. You know she has your dad wrapped around her fingers so he won't come play with us."

He continued to carry on his one sided conversation with the little boy. He smiled as he sucked on his fingers and continued to tell him all about the adventures he had been on, all mostly centered around his flying motorbike.

It was nearly 40 minutes before James, with ample help from Lily, managed to get the entire bathroom back into order. They walked into the nursery to check on Sirius and the baby, they had been quiet for far to long. They couldn't help but smile at the sight of both Sirius and Harry asleep in the chair.

Sirius' head was resting at an odd angle against the back of the chair, and Harry's lolling off the side of his Godfather's arm. Lily walked over and gently took the baby and placed him in his cot. She kissed his temple before turning to leave the room.

"Honestly James, all that mess you would think you would have gotten the candy cane out of his hair." she said as sternly as she could with the grin on her face.

James shrugged.

"Should I wake up the doting godfather?" he asked softly as he watched Sirius get into a more comfortable position, but remain asleep.

"No, let him sleep. In his last message, Remus said that Siri had been on missions non stop. I know he has to be exausted, and I doubt he is sleeping well at home anyways. You know he can't be thrilled about taking over Grimmauld place. Whether his parents are dead or not. Harry will wake him up in an hour or so." she said as she sauntered out of the room.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoO

They were in yet another house, on another street, miles from anyone they knew. They had even stopped going to order meetings, once every few weeks one of them would get to see Sirius or Alice, or maybe Remus or Pete but it wasn't often. But James was content in the fact that Lily and Harry were happy, and thriving.

He smiled as he watched a 10 month old Harry toddle across the floor. He had just taken his first steps the other day. Poor Lily had been on the go ever since. Catching pictures and vases from falling to their doom. The poor cat was tormented, it now had a bend at the end of its tail. Acquired from Harry biting said tail so often that he had officially caused the pitiful thing to be deformed. Honestly you would think the cat would stay clear by now.

Right now he watched his ever curious son try and sneak down the hallway.

"No sir, Harry James get your bum back here, you know you aren't allowed in those rooms alone." James called.

He watched as the wide eyed baby turned to look at him.

"blah blaha gahh DADADADADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" he chattered and craned his little neck to look down the hall.

"No. Get back in this room. There isn't anything down there you need." he said, knowing full well that the baby understood every word.

Harry narrowed his eyes but stood his ground.

"Mumummumumum, dat..dat.." he said stubbornly.

"No, your mum is with Auntie Alice right now, and you need to leave that cat alone. Bring your nappy clad bum over here." he said a little more sternly.

The little dark head turned back and looked at him seriously. As if considering his options. And then, in a flash took off at a run down the hallway and out of sight. James jumped up and shook his head as he heard a crash and the loud yowl of the cat.

"Datdatdatdat!" screached the baby.

James saw it happen, he couldn't have stopped it had he jumped across the room. Harry grabbed the cat by the tail and the scared cat turned and swiped at the chubby fist. The cat screamed, but Harry screamed louder.

Picking up the devastated baby he walked him into the now green nursery and sat in the comforting rocker.

Harry held up his chunky little hand and whimpered as James looked at the minor scratch.

"Dat..Dat..Daddadadadada" he said pitifully before throwing his face into James' chest and beginning to wail in ernest.

"Shhhhh, its a stupid cat. Shhhhhh." he soothed his son, rubbing circles onto his back and pushing his messy hair off his sweaty face.


	23. Chapter 23: His Life

**I do not own Harry Potter. **

**I know you know what we are moving towards...**

**Just so you know, the song I wrote for my daughter who is now 7 when she was 1.5 years old. I ran out of lullibys one night so I made it up. Of course her version is for a girl!**

**Thank you for the reviews.**

Chapter 23

His life

The lights were low, only the soft glow of the night light could be seen. It cast shaddows around the small room. James stood silently by the door marvelig in the amazing sight before him. His little boy was laying quietly in his wife's arms.

He looked so content like he knew he was safe from the world. Not wanting to disturb them he stepped t the side of the door frame into the hall and sat down, leaning his back against the nursery wall.

He couldn't believe his son was over a year old. He was getting so big and was so happy and content. He didn't have a care in the world.

He didn't know that just three days ago his daddy and his uncle Pete had cast the strongest protection possible around their house. He didn't know that he was playng and crawling around the cottage that had once been the childhood home of the great Albus Dumbledore. He didn't know that his mummy cried herself to sleep eery night for fear that her only son was going to be caught by the man that hunted him down.

Harry was a happy baby, the most brilliant thing that existed in his mummy and daddy's life.

James let his head fall into his hands and the sweetest sound passed by his ears.

"If a mummy could have any wish,

Any wish in the whole wide world

It would be an amazing one

A perfect baby boy.

One to hold the whole night through

With hair messy and dark and eyes so true

What more could a mummy want

Than to love a baby like you?"

She sang her made up lulliby over and over, James couldn't help but smile when Harry would gurgle or coo or say a random Mumumumum in the middle of supposedly going to sleep. This was where he belonged. This was his life. And if it meant that his wife and baby would live he was gladly and proudly going to give his own.

As long as his son lived he would live too. His son. His wife. His son. His wife. His son. His wife. This was his life.


	24. Chapter 24

**I do not own Harry Potter. **

**I have no words...**

Chapter 24

Giggles rang throughout the house. The sky outside was dark and the same sound of laughter could be heard hanging in the breeze. The sound of childhood, of innocence. The sound that made Lily so happy to be where she was.

Her son was giggling at the love of her life. It was late, far later than Harry was usually awake but tonight was special. Tonight was Halloween and they were celebrating, well as much as you could celebrate with a one year old that is.

He was hyped up on cupcakes and candy. All snuck to him by James. She saw the rings of smoke as they drifted into the kitchen. James was playing with his wand for Harry's amusment. She peaked her head around the corner and couldn't hold back her smile. The overjoyed grin on her son's face was priceless. She would always remember the sounds of his laughter, the sparkle in his wide eyes.

Hating to end the fun she walked in to take the sleepy overindulged baby to his bed. It was definately well past time. She revelled in the way he clung to her shoulder and laid his little head on her shoulder. The way his messy black hair fell into his eyes, it might be time for a first haircut...she mused to herself as her foot hit the first stair.

The crashing sound of terror ripped through her with the sound of her husband's voice. His own fear was evident. He couldn't hide it.

"Harry! GO!"

Were the only words that had registered. The only other thing she knew for certain was the look on his face. The look of pure hysterical terror. Terror for her, terror for their son, but none for himself.

As she felt her feet hit each step she knew the outcome. His words reverberated through her, they had been spoken a million years ago.

_"everything in you will try to protect him. You will never let anyone hurt him. You will give your life at the drop of a hat, just to see him smile. And you won't think twice about the fact that I would do the same for him. But guess what? He will come from you, my whole future, everything I want, will come from you, which means I will give my life not just to see you not hurt but to see you smile. And nothing will ever change that. There are times that dying to protect the person you love is the only choice, because watching them die, is just not going to happen." _

She felt her tears stick to her face. She felt her breath catch in her throat as the world around her lit up with a terrifying green light. And for a moment everything, even the baby in her arms ceased to exist.

The messy haired gangly 12 year old standing in front of her, his hands on his hips with that cocky smile...The red print of her hand across his cheek, leaving his glasses askew.

The way his face had fallen when she chose the squid over him.

The way her heart had plummeted to her stomache when James had decided he was done with her...The way it had inflated when she found that valentine's gift on her bed.

The way his hands felt around her waist at the dance, the way his fingers felt pushing the hair off of her cheek.

The sweetness and intensity of their first kiss, the way his first touches had sizzled through her on their first night together.

_"Lils, I need to do this, you have to understand. The four of us, we need to do this. I didn't want to tell you this way, I waited because I did not think I would get in. Lily, he killed my parents, the only family I have, besides you Sirius, Rem, and Pete. The only blood family I have. Lily, I can not marry you and have babies with you and not try to make this world safer for you. What if it is you next time? What if we have a beautiful little girl and to get back at me for "unpurifying the Perevel line he takes her, and kills her. Your baby, my baby, he will kill you too, eventually he is going to try to recruit me, and Sirius, and Alice and Frank. We are all purebloods, and all are the very last of our line. He already killed Regulus, Sirius is the last heir to the Black name. He is going to come for us Lily. We will not be on his side, it is with him, or against him. You have to understand that."_

He had come, and he was going to win, he already had her heart.

_"Lily, I will never leave you. I promise, I will not die, I will not pass unless I know we are going together or you are already there. I will never leave you alone. Never. I promise...Voldemort himself could not pull me away from you. I will stand between you till the very end, and I will survive, I will not go unless you are going with me. Death robed as a man could not separate me from you. I love more than I have ever loved anything. You Lily, you are the only reason I am doing this. I need to know that you are going to be safe. If he is to come for you, I will know and he will not make it out in one piece."_

She saw the plae blue of the bedroom, heard the swish of the cloak a few feet behind her. He had come, and he had torn James' promises to her apart.

_"Lily Evans, I can not imagine my life with out you in it. You light it up and have since I was eleven years old. I have spent more than half my life wanting you and now that you are mine I can not bear to ever lose you. Will you do me the incredible honor of being my wife?"_

_"Uhm first I just want you to know that you are amazing, you are so beautiful right now I can't even think of a word to describe you. I thought I had these vows memorized and then I saw you and it all flew out the window. Literally I am still trying to remember to breathe. YOu can thank Sirius for reminding me in the first place. But anyways. I have waited for this moment for so so long. And I can't even tell you how it feels to be marrying you. You do know that it is me..Potter..James Potter..Right... Just wanted to make sure I mean, you never know with these friends you might have been slipped something. You Lily Evans are the best gift my life has given me, from the first time I saw you, to the first time, you said no, to the first slap across the face, to the first time you finally said yes. You might not remember the one I am talking about, our first dance, when you were Sirius' date, but you danced all night in my arms, really I thought I was floating for the entire next week. Lily I would never have forgiven myself if because of my stupidity I lost you and here I have you and I am never, never going to let you go. I promise my life, my world my everything to you."_

The smallest sound in her arms jerked her back to the present. She stared down into the face that was so like her James'. This..He was the only reason to fight. He was still here.

This was her son, her entire reason for breathing, for living, for existing. He was all that mattered. And she would protect him. She would die before letting him be hurt. She would die, she knew it.

She placed him in the cot behind her, and let her hand touch his cheek just this once more. She knew..She would not live because she would not let him near this child, her child, James' child.

She stood tall when she saw the dark of his robes, when she saw the intense red of his eyes.

_**"Not Harry, please no don't kill him, take me, kill me instead"**_

_**"This is my last warning "**_

_**"Not Harry! Please ... have mercy ... Not Harry! Please — I'll do anything..."**_

And she did...


	25. Chapter 25

**I do not own HP or much else.**

**I don't even know what to say about finishing this.**

**Going this far in this story was never the intention but I am so glad that I did.**

**Thank you for the inspirtation to do so. **

**And thank you so so so much for reading both parts of the **

**Legacy Series.**

**I wanted to finish before the baby is here because I don't know when I will have time to update once he is here...**

**I do have a great idea for a one shot that I am going to post..possibly today..**

**And I am still toying with the idea of writing a complete AU in which Sirius gets Harry...**

**I haven't decided.**

**Well for now anyways this is it. Thank you for the PM's and the reviews you are all amazing and I can not tell you how much it means to me that so many people liked this series.**

**It was the first that I had written and gotten up the nerve to post. Thank you all so so so much.**


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